Jonathan wanted to invite a friend over. Mike asked him what he’d do with his friend and he said, “Just show him around the house.” I wish I had our home decorated enough to be tour worthy but alas it isn’t decorated much at all. I have ideas so it’s just a matter of me getting to it. He got a little embarrassed and said he sure hopes Ryan has on pants and doesn’t have a poopy diaper when his friend is over. Mike assured him we’d keep Ryan fully clothed. We wouldn’t want his baby brother to cause him any undo embarrassment.
I’ve been teaching myself the primary songs that go with The Articles of Faith. After I learn them, I teach them to the kids. It’s a lot of work teaching them but it’s been paying off and they have the first four memorized. I printed out little punch cards from pinterest and they mark which ones they’ve learned. It’s especially cute when James says the third one because he says, “We believe that through the atonement of Christ, old men may be saved.”
I think James was thrilled yesterday to see his primary teachers hair color is now his favorite color, blue.
The other day Gracie told me she wants to be a mommy someday. She just turned three so she doesn’t get any more early intervention. Miss Laura, one of her therapists said that Gracie was the most compliant student she’s had. It is so nice to hear that compliment. She has her moments but really parenting her so far is nothing compared with parenting the boys, not even close. I think it is a gender thing. We miss our visits from “Gracie’s friends”. Gracie asks when they are coming again.
Jonathan and James took swim class from my second cousin Jacquelyn this summer. She’s 17, very nice and did a great job. Gracie and Ryan and I went in the pool to glide around during some of their lessons and it was all I could do to keep them out of it on the days we weren’t dressed in swimsuits.
Michael decided Jonathan’s old enough to earn money when he does extra chores. He asked me what chores I thought would deserve getting paid for (above and beyond the basics) and I listed off things like cleaning the van and babysitting Ryan for me. Jonathan looked at the list and the first thing he said when seeing 50 cents for babysitting Ryan was, “I need a raise.” Of all the difficult things on the list he didn’t have to ask which would be the most demanding. When he attempted to watch Ryan he wouldn’t let him play with any toys because he didn’t want to clean them up.
Michael and I went to Vegas for a few days at the end of July. The company Mike works for, Cook Medical, had their 50th anniversary and guests/spouses were included in the festivities. Rumor has it the reason spouses are invited to things like these is to keep the employees in check since it’s a lot of partying, but hey, I can’t complain. I’m happy to help Michael be good. It was great to relax and get a break from the day-to-day. I must admit, go-karting, getting a massage, meals of lobster and sushi and living a life of ease felt good. I also enjoyed having a reason to dress up and talk with people over the age of seven. When driving to the Vegas casino to stay overnight, James said, "Mom, is this where you and Dad were married?". We appreciated my dad picking up the two older boys in St. George. By request he taught Jonathan the art of skipping stones. He brought a cooler with carbonated fruit from a drive in dry ice. I don’t think I’ve seen the boys enjoy fruit that much in a long time. James says Grandpa and Grandma D. said they are welcome anytime day or even in the middle of the night. He talked about what a good helper he was cleaning up “the shack” with Grandpa and all about their hike. Grandma and Grandpa Neyens took the two little ones which was a huge help. Traveling with little kids and babies is always tough and so having them watched close by meant a lot. Ryan wanted to stick with Grandma when he saw me again so she obviously won him over. He let Michael hold him after that and I only became his favorite the next day when there was no one else to go to. Not that I expect him to remember me screaming in pain giving birth to him or the countless diapers changes or the only person who ever woke up with him the first year of his life…. I'm just joking around, it's OK.
While we were in Utah my sister Mary was talking about the medicinal purposes of marijuana. She and her husband live in WA where a law was passed making it legal. She talked about how a lady with health problems makes a paste out of it and puts it on her toast and it has been helping tremendously. Mike called it, "I Can't Believe Its Not Marijuana". I thought the joke was blog-worthy.
Lastly, on a more somber note, we attended the funeral of our 10 month old nephew, Thomas. It was great to see loved ones and sad at the same time. My sister Mary, her husband Jared and their three other children have been so strong despite the hardships they’ve been through this last year, truly the refiner’s fire. They have been the recipients of lots of support and love as well. I won’t attempt to address his life or passing in detail since I wouldn’t do it justice. Suffice it to say, he was (and I am sure still is) a bundle of light and love. We are so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ that makes it possible for family relationships to continue beyond the grave.
