Grandpa O’Barr came for a visit this week. I think the pictures say it all!
Skipping Rocks with Grandpa
We took Grandpa with us on a picnic to Ft. Churchill. Found ourselves a nice shady spot and had an enjoyable afternoon.
Doctrine and Covenants 88:118-119:
We had Father’s blessings last night in preparation for another new year at school. Danny even gave Alyssa a blessing she didn’t want to be left out. Then we sat down and read the above scriptures and discussed ways for us to prepare ourselves for success at school and at home. We set some goals, Emma and Tanner both set goals to have better attitudes regarding math, they are going to really apply themselves in math this year. Aubrey and I talked about how at her elementary school they start every morning with a moment of silence and that this is a time for her to pray to her Heavenly Father and ask for help to start her day out right. My goal for this year is to spend some quality time with Alyssa. With the birth of Hallie, Alyssa has been feeling a little displaced and I think some of her behavior is a result of this. So Alyssa and I are going to play games and read lots of stories and do lots of talking. She’s really such a sweet little girl and I can’t wait to give her the attention she deserves. It was a wonderful night talking with the kids and teaching them from the scriptures.
They were all up early, normal for my kids is 6am but this morning it was about 5:15 when we saw their smiling faces. I knew they were all bursting at the seams with excitement so what’s a mom to do? We got breakfast, took showers and got ready for the first day of school. Family prayer and Danny and Emma were out the door. Danny will be taking Emma to school on his way to work and she will be riding the bus home. Aubrey walked into school head held high with a little skip in her step I have no doubts Aubrey will be fine. A new season has begun, a fresh start and I can’t wait to see what the future brings it’s always so exciting.
Last night for F.H.E. we joined some friends up at Lake Tahoe. There are so many reason I enjoy going to Tahoe in the late afternoon over the morning and day time. -There are no crowds at all up there after 4:00 -I don’t have to use sunscreen -The temperature is perfect
-The sunset is a reminder to me that the world is beautiful and for our enjoyment. The only down side is the kids like to play with their friends when they go to the beach, so we invited some friends up with us last night and renewed our friendship, and our spirits. I got so many pictures last night, the lighting is perfect for photos when the sun is about to go down. Hallie enjoyed her toe dips and she didn’t seem to mind the fresh air on her naked skin. I’m thinking that FHE needs to be on the beach from now until October. I made a collage of some pictures from last night because I’m too lazy to upload all of the pictures I wanted to post, so if you click on it you can look at the pictures better.
Aubrey has eczema all over her body. She feels like sandpaper on her torso, legs, arms, and it often bleeds behind her knees. She has suffered from this condition since she was a newborn, and it makes her so uncomfortable. I have tried every lotion out there, so when a friend of mine suggested a lotion she used I was skeptical, but took it anyway. After Aubrey’s bath on Saturday I lotioned her down like always, and sent her to bed and in the morning she felt smoother then I have ever felt her. She was pleased also, and allowed me to put on a second coat of it in the morning. I don’t know what the difference is with this lotion, but I’ll take it. It doesn’t cure the problem, but it has calmed her skin, maybe, just maybe I’ll get that kid out of a skirt and into a pair of jeans now.
We’re getting ready for the beginning of school. The school isn’t buying school supplies this year. Don’t ask my opinion about all of this, but off we went to the store, and bought the required supplies. I showed a little rebellion though, the teacher for Aubrey’s class is wanting 2 blue bullet tipped dry erase markers. Really! To get two of those I’d have to buy 2 multi colored packs and then remove the blue ones at a cost of $12 for the 2 packs. Not happening, she gets whatever colors Tanner doesn’t choose from the multi colored pack because he needs 4 markers. Then I got a little carried away, they wanted Lysol brand disinfecting wipes, so I bought Target brand. They wanted 16 count crayons, couldn’t find them anywhere, really I looked, so I bought 24 count. With 3 kids in school and two other kids with me I just couldn’t run around to lots of stores looking for this kind of detailed list, so I’m telling the school what I tell my kids, “you get what you get and you don’t throw a fit”.
Aubrey is so stinking excited to go to school, she wakes every morning asking how many more days. I can’t wait I’m excited for her. I guess I should be a little sad, but I love that she is growing and changing and experiencing life with such enthusiasm. I hope kindergarten is ready for Aubrey.
I’ve been on a sewing kick. While I was pregnant, I was desperate for things to keep me occupied so I bought some fabric to make Aubrey a pillowcase. I never could get it made so I finished it last week and sewed a second one for Alyssa because I had hurt her feelings by not making one for her in the first place.
We’re off to Lake Tahoe tonight for F.H.E. Once school starts we have scouts, piano lessons, activity days and we might not make it back up again this summer.
Aubrey is sick today, stomach bug, enough said right? So with her bathed and settled on the couch and Alyssa being amused by Emma, and Hallie sleeping I started in on my first Christmas project of the year. This was so fun and easy, I can’t wait to do another one. Maybe an hour and a half start to finish. I can see though that I have reached Hallie’s limits for today she is screaming and things are starting to break down, so I will quickly post some pictures and go take care of my family.
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Just a cute picture of Hallie’s sweet baby lips
Alyssa giving me an attitude, once cute baby lips are now used to demand to see the kitty before we finish our walk. She loves to wear leotards anytime I’ll let her.
I love simple projects like this they are so instantly gratifying. I ran to the fabric store last night after Danny got home from work. I have decided that grocery shopping I can do with 5 kids, but the fabric store is no place for really young children, it makes making a decision impossible. The constant “look at this” or “what about this” and if it’s not that it’s “where is Alyssa?” or “I know it’s soft, but they don’t want you to wrap up in it.” My attention is in a million pieces and I just can’t think. Anyway, I was able to get in quickly last night and I came out with material for a few projects.
I made this Taggie Blanket this afternoon in the amount of time a Care Bear movie takes to run. I don’t really need it, but it was fun, and I’m still working on my simple sewing skills so this was just right for me.
My next project is (here)
Friday we picked Danny up from work at 3:00 and headed up to Carson Pass to hike to Winnemucca Lake. When we got to Frog Lake, which is half way there, we stopped for me to feed Hallie, Danny took the rest of the kids around the back side of the lake to see what they could see. Alyssa stayed with me, and just as Danny got out of sight she had to pee. I had no where to sit Hallie, and she was eating, so I just continued to nurse, and held Alyssa with my other hand while she peed right in front of me. She did great, I joked with Danny that although I haven’t held a job in years something like that proves I can multitask pretty well.
We made it to Winnemucca Lake just as a lightening storm was coming in. It started raining, and our dinner picnic was ruined. We felt for safety reasons that we needed to get down off the top of the mountain before the lightening came any closer so we quickly turned around and headed back. Aubrey had won a certificate for Baskin Robbins at the library and she took us all out for ice cream.
Backside of Frog Lake and the storm moving in!We’ve been doing a lot of small hikes here in Dayton, the kids love to come with me and catch lizards, I make them release them, but they never stop asking to bring them home with them. Alyssa finds them fascinating yet disgusting at the same time.
Parenting tip of the week: Don’t buy those bowls that suction cup to the table. Poor Lis, trying to pull the bowl off the table to put in the sink (awww, shucks what a good kid) pulled too hard and it released from the table and it landed on the top of her head. Chicken and dumplings spilling all down her face and chunks of dumplings in her hair. Poor kid.
Today I made a stuffed toy for Hallie, it’s a little goofy, but I wanted to sew something, and I didn’t need a pattern, and I had some left over wool felt from Christmas stockings and a bell for the inside. The only thing I’d do different besides using cute material is embroider the face on before I got it all sewed together. In case you can’t tell what it is it’s an alligator, I’m thinking it’s looking a bit more like a creepy scorpion. Oh well, it jingles, and it didn’t cost me anything.
