The last of the little guys 3/2/12

 Can you even imagine the obsession and counting down Graham had going on with his birthday coming up? I can assure you, you cannot imagine. This child asks how many days till Christmas...and everything in between. At the last minute he decided to have a family party instead of a friend party. I've got to tell you, I was relieved! I have yet to throw a boy party and they scare me to death. He chose to go to the local bowling alley. This was a good plan. The older kids could come and then get on with on their evenining plans. No one gets hurt.

 Graham wanted to open his gifts at the bowling alley. True to his word he ripped off the paper the second we set our stuff on the table.

 He wanted to be surprised with his cake. I had some Curious George figurines I was planning on using on a yellow cake. Then he said, "I want it to be a yellow and green cake." So much for surprises. He also had specifics for where the streamers should be and how the table was to be arranged.

We had our "party" set up on the only available table but it was right in the middle of the bowling alley and I felt like we were in a fishbowl. As soon as a corner table was available we snagged it. The advantage of having so many of us is that the party moved location real quick.

I had taken him to Walmart that afternoon where he picked out his cups and plates. I also got some fabric cut. The lady at the cutting counter was REAL gabby. Graham finally said, "Mom, did you forget it is my birthday???" How could I.

 This is not the face of a child who is disappointed with a family party is it?

We had two lanes next to each other. As everyone took their last turn there was one spare after another. Then Ava and Mallerie went at the same time. Ava's ball bounced so wildly that it ended up in Mallerie's lane where it knocked down poor Mallerie's last chance at a spare. It wasn't nice, but it was fuuuuuuny. You better believe Mallerie was all over Ava's lane after that.

When we got home we set up Graham's gifts. Matt and I both ended up giving him a train. When we were wrapping presents the night before Matt said, "You can take yours back I bet." I said, "No way! I picked this out. We'll just give him both." I was telling this to Donna the next day on the phone and I looked over and saw Graham staring at me with big eyes since he hadn't opened the 'second' train yet. Oops. The 'finale' gift I had for Graham was a Toy Story 2 set that you set up and it has a chain reaction. Really cool. Matt was setting up the remote control train for a delighted Graham. Matt said, "This is a cool toy!" I said, "Graham, look over here, look what this can do. " We joked back and forth as to whose toy was most cool and which could hold his attention.

(For Mallerie's science assignment she had to show the use of pullies, levers, and machines. I told her to not bother reinventing the wheel and just use Graham's toy. It was a bit of a cop out but she didn't mind.)

Graham is a delightful child to try and please because it is so easy to do so. I feel a twinge of sadness that he is now five and loosing all babiness about him. Heck, he even has two loose teeth.

Ava gave him candy for his birthday. He finished his Bubble Tape and split the container in half. He gave half to me and said, "Now you can smell it whenever you want."I tucked into my apron pocket to do just that.

Proud to be an American

I took Matt along with me to our local Lincoln Day Breakfast held at Soldier Hollow Feb 11, 2012. Katrina said, "I know a kid going to that." We met her friend because we all sat at the same table. Speakers consisted of those running for state offices including Governor Herbert, and also Senator Hatch. Here I snapped a quick photo of Katrina's friend Luke getting his book signed by Orrin Hatch. I'll disappoint my dad, but Matt and I support Orrin Hatch in re-election. The spacious clubhouse windows overlooked the valley with stunning views of the lake on a crisp morning.

The next week in Pre-school I gave a simplified version of President's Day to Graham and Callie. I don't know what Callie is turning her nose up at.

Next up were the caucus meetings March 15th. We had been challenged at the breakfast to bring 10 people with us our neighborhood Caucus. Me and another lady divided up our ward and called as many people as we could to remind them about the meeting. There were about 30 people there and we met in the Elementary School's library. It was interesting to see how things work, as this was the first caucus either Matt or I have attended. That didn't matter though, and Matt was nominated then voted in as a County Representative. I chuckled out loud when it was his turn to give a speech. He did well for not  having done any preparation at all.  He went to the county meeting a week later where they voted on city and county seats. Matt is very passionate about national politics so I was glad to see him get involved on a local level where his voice is really heard. This is sure to be an interesting year in National politics though.

Matt and I also just re-watched "Gone with the Wind." What a reminder to how far our country has come. Thanks Abe for giving us a country we can be proud to be a part of.

V day = B day

In the interest of time I used Krusteaz sugar cookie mix instead of my recipe out of Better Homes this year.  But I worried the kids wouldn't think my plan B cookies tasted as good. I ended up with exactly 8 cookies one for each plate, so I couldn't tast them. When Katrina came home from school she said, "Mmmm! Can I have mine?" I said, 'Sure!" She ate half of it before getting her fill. Callie walked up to hers and took a couple bites before running off to play. I was finishing my Valentine sewing when I became rather curious about how the mix tasted. I went into the empty dining room and figured I'd taste Callie's since it already had a few bites out of it. In mid-bite I heard a giggle from the living room. It was Callie watching me,"You can have some." I had to run give her a hug.

I told the family my plan was to make chicken pot pie for dinner. That was followed by a lot of silence and blank stares. Fine. We'll have take out. Plan B.

After dinner and the mystery door bell ditcher, I gave everyone a heat sack I had finished sewing that very day. Some of us warmed them up and watched Dumbo downstairs. I had ordered Lady and the Tramp, which seemed much more "Valentiney" but Dumbo arrived instead.

"Life is all about Plan B." -Mary Engelbriet

Before we went to to bed that night Matt dropped the bombshell on me that HR wanted to meet with him the next day. He waited till the Valentine festivities were over so I could focus on the day. He on the other hand had only one thing on his mind...

I mentioned a lay off scare in the list of events that started off our year. That is because Pepsico was laying off 8,700 employees worldwide in February. It is a staggering number but is actually only 3% of the company. Nevertheless, Matt was on pins and needles meeting with Human Recourses the next day. Four of the five employees in his department had appointments as well. The first guy went in, and got laid off. The second guy went in, and got laid off. His secretary went in, and got laid off. Then it was Matt's turn...he went in and got....a promotion! Neither one of us could believe it when he called to tell me. Pepsico was actually very considerate with who they chose to lay off. They were all people who were so near retirement that their severance package will more than carry them there. As for us, Matt is quite a ways off from retiring so he feels extremely blessed and fortunate to have a job he enjoys.

Mostly though, we are grateful we didn't have to go to Plan B.

Snowshoe Hike 2/24/12

Because it was pitch black outside we were very thankful Graham was willing to part with his beloved head flashlight. It doesn't leave his head for very long ever. After all, he is a train you know. 

I took Ava and her friend on a delightful outing the last Friday night in February. Wasatch Moutain State Park offered Moonlight Snowshoe Hikes for all levels. After getting our snow shoes on we went out on the golf course with our guide. The stars were so clear and pretty that night and we even got to walk on the frozen pond. Afterwards there was hot chocolate and refreshments in the lodge. I was already quite warm from the hike and chose to sit out on the patio with my hot chocolate. It was such a beautiful way to spend an evening. I got chatting with an older gentlemen about his life. He was one of those people that just seemed to need to talk and talk. He had a pretty sad love story that left me taking nothing for granted.

I love living in a small community where activities are available in a beautiful setting.

Here we go again...

Time for another "Abby Moment."
I was doing the Wii fit in the basement in late January while Graham and Callie fought over where to sit on the couch. Graham got mad and clawed Callie in the face drawing blood. I scolded Graham and he stormed upstairs. With just a minute left on the exercise I was doing, Graham came down and went out the window. He was in his pajamas and socks. I thought this odd since fresh snow had fallen the night before. My minute was up and I looked out the widow well but didn't' see any sign of him. I went upstairs to and realized he had locked the basement door. I understood now why he had gone out of the window, he was going to come back inside and leave me and Callie locked downstairs to show how mad he was at us. Instead, I could hear him pounding on the locked patio door screaming and crying. I had to go into the storage room so he could hear me telling him he needed to come back in the family room widow. Great, now we were all locked in the basement. When Graham realized this, he was so upset. He really showed me didn't he?  I couldn't go traisping around outside the way I looked so I hopped in the shower and got ready using the girls things; even curling my hair. Then I went out the widow well and tried every door and window but they were all sealed tight. I came back in the window and figured I'd make use of this time to finally take down the Christmas tree that I had been putting off. Callie and Graham watched "Bug's Life" while I placed each bulb in it's designated box. I was also thinking hard, 'Figure this out Abby, there has got to be a way to get upstairs; you have a brain, figure this out." But nothing came to me. I figured I could put a note on the door for when the kids came home from school telling them to come in the side window. But then I remembered I had a parent teacher conference right after school.  Finally when the kids were on their second movie I realized we had been down in the basement for 3 1/2 hours, and we were getting hungry. There was a cup downstairs so we had water, but unless we wanted to feast on taco shells from the food storage, we didn't have anything else to eat.  I called Vyrl, our next door neighbor and asked if I could borrow a small flathead screw driver. He kept peppering me with questions till I finally had to admit, "I'm locked in my basement." Since I had already tried unsuccessfully to pick the lock with a bobby pin, Vyrl came through the window to look at the lock. It took him a couple trips back and forth going through the window before he took the door knob off all together and we were free at last!!! When Vyrl put the knob back on the door he reversed it so that won't happen again. I couldn't thank him enough for getting me and my babies out of this embarrassing predicament. Graham was beyond sorry and for months afterwards has felt sad about doing that. I'll see him crying and ask why, "I am just thinking about when we were locked in the basement." Locked doors are now his biggest phobia.

For Eyes, Four Teeth

Within a week of each other Katrina lost four teeth and Grayson gained two new eyes.

The closest periodontist our insurance covers is in Draper. I took Katrina the morning of January 26th to have not only her wisdom teeth out but also crown lengthening done on two of her teeth. I wasn't sure how long the procedures would take or what I was to do while it was being done. I didn't' want to seem heartless and ask if I could go to IKEA. But after Katrina had taken her sedation pills the nurse said, "You'll want to just go on errands and we'll call you when she's about 15 min away from being ready to go home." I spent the entire time at Ikea, browsing and having a cup of tea infront of the huge windows as I watched the rain. It would have been a perfectly relaxing day for a girl to spend her time except that I kept worrying all would be well with Katrina. My wisdom teeth experience didn't go so well if you recall. Anyway, just as I was loading my goods into the car the office called. I figure nearly 3 hours had passed. Katrina was red and swollen and a bit out of it when I arrived. The nurse helped her into the car and I was so glad I had picked up a pillow and blanket at IKEA for Katrina on the way home. The car ride home was much quieter than the ride there had been. I noted to Katrina that one good song after another was playing on the radio the whole way to Draper. She agreed. She was just as red when we got home and the nurses determined she may be having an allergic reaction to the penicillin and they called in a different antibiotic. Katrina didin't bounce back right away and ate soft food it seemed like for a week. When she did come upstairs she'd have a scarf tied around her face. She even went to a friends house and watched  a movie like that. I probably should have waited till summer so she didn't miss so much school but I'd rather get procedures done early in the year so we know where we are at with our insurance. I know the whole thing was very uncomfortable for her but she was a good sport. Our dentist gave her a syringe to clean out the sockets. I asked her if she was using it a few days later. She said no because it just sucks out blood and hurts. Oh no! I told her she wasn't supposed to suction with it, rather squirt water to flush out the socket. See, she still needs me. Even if she denies it;)

Grayson brought a note home from the school nurse that he hadn't passed the eye exam. I figured we should probably get a professional exam but with the holidays we got busy. It wasn't until we went to a BYU Basketball game in January and Gray couldn't see the score board that Matt decided we needed to have Grayson's eyes checked. Because you HAVE to be able to see the score board. Our old home teacher is a local optometrist and so it was easy to get in, and out for that matter. We were only at the office for an hour and that included the exam and the glasses being made. Grayson actually got to come home in his glasses. He didn't' care which kind he got as long as they were blue. He loves them. He told me that when he tried them on on in the store the voice in his head said, '"Yesssssss." That night as I tucked him into bed he said he had seen the receipt for his glasses in the bag. He said, "Sorry." I said, "It's okay."  he said, "Thank you for the glasses."

He's got a real tender side. Other times he is just Grayson. His class went on a field trip to BYU for a Ballet performance. He hated it. He said, "The dancers were totally ignoring us," (since they never looked at the crowd), "and the music had NO WORDS." Matt agreed, "The ballet can take a flying leap. " How ironic. I reminded them, "That is what they do."

Inthinc

The opportunity presented itself for me to to have a part time job where I work from home. As Sadie stated: it is as close to not having a job as you can get. It's 20 hours a week that can be whenever, 15 minutes here and there, or four hours straight, it doesn't matter. Super flexible. It's for a company called inthinc. Basically we audit drivers to determine weather or not they are speeding. We are the narks companies use to monitor their drivers behavior. One of the clients is the LDS church. We catch a lot of missionaries speeding. I emailed my nephew Sam on his mission and joked, "I've go my eye on you."
It has been a bit of an adjustment finding the extra 20 hours a week but not too bad because it really is as close to not having a job as one can get. Thanks to sister Ashely for hooking me up. The best part? She also hooked up Sadie and Lindsey so we Skype while we work. Time flies when we are all on.

Here is the screen I stare at.

Not every day you get to drive by our nations capital.