Life Lessons

#4 Sis is graduating from High School tonight. Man, I feel old! We had a little grad party last night and spent some time looking at old pictures and talking about old times. I was 13 when Monie was born, so I spent a lot of time taking care of her in my teen years.

While at my parents, my brother Ben started up a little bonfire. Apparently some small debris was blowing out of it, and Joseph picked up a little stick. He now has pretty little blisters on each finger of one hand. He was hating life last night. He didn't want to keep ahold of his bag of ice, but couldn't NOT hold onto it! This morning all is well, he said it only hurts when he has to pull up his pants. Guess I'm on call for potty time!

Yesterday was the last day of school! Now onto summer vacation, but not for too long. Summer school starts on the 29th and all three are going this year! {I'm doing my happy dance!} 2 weeks of just Monkey and Me! Hopefully he won't get too bored. We're putting in some tomato plants and peppers, and hopefully a zucchini or two and a couple of cukes. We'll need to keep up on the weeds!

Happy Early Mother's Day!!!

"This ability and willingness properly to rear children, the gift to love, and eagerness, yes, longing to express it in soul development, make motherhood the noblest office or calling in the world.

She who can paint a masterpiece or write a book that will influence millions deserves the admiration and the plaudits of mankind; but she who rears successfully a family of healthy, beautiful sons and daughters, whose influence will be felt through generations to come, whose immortal souls will exert an influence throughout the ages long after paintings shall have faded, and books and statues shall have decayed or shall have been destroyed, deserves the highest honor that man can give, and the choicest blessings of God. In her high duty and service to humanity, endowing with immortality eternal spirits, she is co-partner with the Creator himself." (David O. McKay)

Here's a picture of Mama's Little Helpers. I can hardly do anything in the kitchen without them pulling up a chair or a stool and wanting to help. I guess I should enjoy it, they'll grow out of it soon enough!

We're way busy this weekend! What are your plans? I'd love to hear them! Natalia's 2nd grade teacher from last year is moving to Ohio after school is out. She is my niece Jerica's Pre-school teacher this year. We're throwing her a BonVoyage party tonight. Natalia has Softball practice, and then tomorrow a Mother/Daughter Tea for Activity Days, and then on to a friend's house for some project-doing for teachers. Sunday is Mother's Day, but I think every day should be mother's day. We're having brunch after church. Yum! Another weekend full of eating.

Recovering...

...from our busy weekend. Friday night Natalia and I went scrapbooking till midnight - after her softball practice. We had a lot of fun, and Natalia loves going with me. She gets to hang out with her friend Libby, then help clean up afterward. She also got a couple of scrapbooking pages done. Then early to rise on Saturday for Brian's band contest performance on Saturday, which I missed to go to the Stake Relief Society Enrichment Meeting in Warrensburg, which is 30 minutes away. I was asked to sing a song, "His Hands" to go along with a class titled "Hand Prints Bring to Pass Miracles". I didn't realize I was going to sing twice since she was doing the class two different times! The Relief Society is the women's group at church, and it is actually the oldest and largest women's organization in the world.

Sunday brought on church, then a meeting after church, and then over to my mom and dad's house for dinner. Monday night was Brian and Natalia's Spring concert and Fine Arts show. The kids were great! The 5th and 6th grade bands are so good this year! At the contest on Saturday they were given a "1" for their score, which is the highest they can get. Natalia's class sang a couple of songs, and danced along to them. So cute!

Today I went along with Joseph's pre-school class on a walking field trip to the post office, bank, Casey's convenience store to order pizza, then to the park to play and eat pizza. Three hours round trip, walking the whole time - Mario is still napping!

Hope you all had a great weekend. Off to eat dinner, go to ball practice again, then maybe to the Jr. High/High School concert to see Sierra.

Scrapbooking!!!

I'm going to a crop tonight, but I thought I'd share a couple of layouts from the last one. Mario's page has a mini book detailing some of his exploits. If you click on a picture it will enlarge it.

Far West

Tuesday I went to work with Andy. I think there are easier ways to go on a date. It's hard to do anything when you have four kids. Emily watched the boys, Brian and Natalia rode the bus to Grammy's, then Tara gathered them all back at our house later. Always the hard way!

Our first stop was to fill up the gas tank in the truck and for the mowers. That costs way too much money. Depressing to think about. Then on to the mower store (I really don't know what to call it!) for a part for the mower. Then up Hwy 13 thru Lexington and on to the Richmond Pioneer Cemetery. It rained on and off all morning, but we mowed through it. Let me tell you, my kids drive the mowers with the skill of Mario Andretti, but I had a heck of a time! Andy made me get on there and do it, and didn't even cringe (very much). We had to stop for a little while for a missionary couple and two sister missionaries. A little bit hard to talk and look around while two mowers are going.

Our next stop was Far West. Nothing is there anymore. I shouldn't say that, because it is very well landscaped, like a nice park, with picnic tables, trees, mulch, shrubs, etc. The bathrooms are exceptional. Especially since they are out in the middle of nowhere! There is one building across the road, which is a Community of Christ church. Up the road a piece (Missouri speak for 1/2 a mile) is a new store: http://www.farwesthistorical.org.

In it's infancy 170 years ago, the city of Far West was populated by several thousand Mormons and included a large schoolhouse, a couple hundred houses, 1/2 a dozen stores, etc. There is absolutely no trace of the town. Far West is very peaceful, even with the sound of the mower, blower, or trimmer. The sky was dark for most of the day, but it didn't rain, just a little sprinkle. 7 or 8 cars full of people stopped throughout the afternoon to look at the temple site, but you can count the number of cars going by on your fingers. The land consists of just short of 600 acres, the visitor's area is maybe 6 or 7 acres.





I had to take a picture of my feet, because when I am there, I always think: This is where the prophets of our Lord stood. Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. Amazing. Very spiritual.