Last night was Austin's first choir concert. He has always been in band so, I didn't ever expect to be going to see him in the choir. Everyone did a great job. Here he is in a tux!! He looks way too old to me, AAwww!
Austin is in the back row with the microphone right in front of his face.
I just wanted to share an experience we had Sunday morning. My thirteen year old, Alex was assigned to give a talk on Sunday and we forgot all about it until Sunday morning at 6:00 a.m. I had a meeting at 7:00 so, I quickly woke her up and tried to get her some material. After giving her a couple topics to choose from, she looked at me and blirted out a completely different topic, prayer. I thought it was a great choice. I ran down to the computer and started looking up references for prayer. Well, she didn't come down for awhile. I ran back up the stairs to hurry her along and she met me with a "don't take over my assignment" look. We then proceeded to the computer where there were too many topics on prayer to her liking. By this time, I realized that she did not want my help and I was going to be late for my meeting if I continued prepping her. Both of our teenagers do not like our help when preparing for a talk, which completely baffles me because when I was their age, I very much wanted my parents help! However, Troy and I also think it's great because they are showing initiative, right? We also can focus on other things, like getting the other kids ready or going to a meeting.
I left the house for my meeting confident that Alex would be prepared. She always is.
After my meeting, I sat in a pew waiting for my family to arrive. Go Troy!!! I also knew that Alex does not like to be late, especially when giving a talk, like I said, no attention drawn to her. During the opening song, I quietly smiled when I looked up and saw Alex slipping through the door closest to the pulpit. She looked lovely, I thought. Soon after, the rest of them trickled in. Ellie even had her hair back in a great looking pony tail, Wooo Hoooo Troy!
Now it was time for the talk. She talked plainly and clearly, which I am always greatful for, coming from a teenager. But I was a little surprised when she proceeded to tell the congregation that her topic was the Word of Wisdom. Hmmmm, not what we had talked about but that's okay, another great topic. She touched on what we should stay away from and then starts to mention a popular, spoof movie, Sons of Provo. It's about a Mormon Boy Band that sings about gospel topics in a very modern, funky way. Now, when it's not my own children, I love when kids break from the norm and catch you off guard about what they relate to. However, when she started to recite the following lyrics from one of the Sons of Provo songs, Word of Wizzum, I was a little leary, just a little! IT's a RAPPING Song!! This is what she recited in a very monotone, serious manner:
Don't, don't drink. No, don't even think about it Drinkin' stinks Stinky drink no doubt about it O-val-tine better for you don't you doubt it Keep yo body clean Let's shout it!
Go! Go! Go! Go! Stop!
Meats okay. Yeah, but only twice a day Coffee? No Way! Pero, Postum, yes you may Mount-tain Dew Tasty but no good for you Too Too true at least I'm not sniffin glue!
Oh yes, it was the sniffin glue part that made me burst into outward laughter! I don't know which was funnier though, the fact that it was a completely different topic when I left home, that she recited a rapping song over the pulpit, or the serious manner in which she did it. The girl kept a straight face the WhOLE time! One lady next to me asked me who the Sons of Provo were, ha ha! I quickly told her that our children won't allow us to help them with their talks.
I love my kids, they keep life so interesting and fun!
Well, Genie Industries, my husbands employer just finished implementing another round of lay-offs this week. We feel very fortunate to have made it through another round, Whew! Troy counted up how many times he has been through this and it is 6, Six times! I can't tell you how blessed and lucky we feel. We really thought that this would be IT! I was mentally preparing myself for a lifestyle change, etc. We are hoping for at least three more lives. Troy has been with Genie for 14 years and has been curious at times to try other things but Genie has been so good to us. We have known others who have quit and moved on and it has worked out wonderfully for them, Yay! However, when you're a creature of habit and things are going well, it sounds difficult, maybe more to me than him. I do have to say though, I felt somewhat prepared for what seemed like the inevitable and yet here we are. That's not to say that we are out of the woods, if there is one thing we have learned during our married life is that NOTHING is set in stone and the most important thing is: Things can ALWAYS be WORSE! I want to thank all of you who were so kind to us and worried about us. We had several friends and family pray and fast for us and we are so grateful. So, regardless of how many lives we end up getting, we know that things will work out.
Chaperoned a Stake Dance tonight and worried about all the girls that didn't get asked to dance. You just want to give them a big hug and tell them to "Hang in there."
Ellie and I started Preschool yesterday. Ellie as a student and myself as an aide. After teaching out of my home for several years and then going through a hiatus, I have to say, it was a lot of fun! It's good to be back in a classroom setting watching young children learn. There are always the ones that push the envelope and test you everyday but once they get used to the routine it gets a whole lot better. Everything is a process. I am having to learn to go to bed earlier and get up earlier! Ugh!! In fact, I should go to bed now. I am exhausted! I forgot how tiring it can be to chase a bunch of little ones around.
OH, I almost forgot, we are also learning some spanish along with our day! All that I can think of now is escuela and bano!
The older I get, the more precious my TIME means to me. Wouldn't it be nice if we could bottle it up and use it whenever we needed some extra? Whenever my husband and I plan a home project he always mentions our TIME and figures that into the cost. I always tell him that we're just free labor. When we lived in Carnation, WA we lived in our first home and changed a lot of things in it over TIME. When it came TIME to move, I found myself a little reluctant to leave because of all the elbow grease we put into it over the years. There was a lot of TIME and good memories immersed in the walls, molding, cupboards, yard, etc.
I find myself trying to allocate my TIME in my mind during the day. I am trying to get to know a couple ladies a little better and by the TIME I can reach the phone, it is too late to call them. Yet there are others that are clearly busier than I am making the rounds and visiting and serving us. Sometimes, I am very amazed that with how much TIME can cost, what others are willing to give to me and my family. I feel I am surrounded by great givers of TIME who know how to bottle it up and let it out when needed!
I Can't Drive FIFTY FIVE! Remember that song by Sammy Hagar? That's all I could think about when I saw this sign, ha ha! I love it!
We went down to Hurricane, Utah to celebrate my parents 50th wedding anniversary. We had a great time.
My siblings and parents.
The Grandkids!
Troy and Ellie (spitting image of her father)!
We had a short program for our parents. The younger ones did a non-rehearsed dance and were so cute!!
The older grandkids lip-synced to the Jackson 5's, "I Want You Back!" We ran out of afro's so Luke decided to be an Ozzie Osbourne, Michael Jackson. Where did he come up with that one? It was VERY entertaining!
Each of us also compiled a few memories of our parents that we shared and put in a binder to give to them at the end of the program. It was so much fun to hear everyone's different memories and experiences with our parents. What a great couple they are. We felt very blessed to have such wonderful parents.
