G-Con
Mallerie came home for April General Conference weekend. Saturday evening we went shopping at the outlets while the guys were at Priesthood. They tried on clothes at Down East. Sometimes I wonder if my honest critique is a good thing or a bad thing. Either way, it's my thing. We went to Panda Express in Heber afterwards, yes we have a PANDA. Argh, I am not excited about Main Street becoming chain restaurants and car dealerships.
On Sunday I thought it would be nice to see if we could get into the afternoon session of General Conference IN the Conference Center. I always see empty seats up on the top., and since the age limit is 8 and up, we could finally all go as a family. This however, did not interest the kids or Matt. So I took Ava, Alivia, and Mallerie downtown. It was pouring rain! We got into the tabernacle to wait. We saw them call out a few rows up on top but that was it. The rest of us were to stay where we were. The benches are extremely uncomfortable in the Tabernacle so Giuseppe went to see what he could find available at the JSB. He texted back that there were some seats in the chapel overflow. We darted across the square as Conference began. It gave us chills to hear it broadcast over the speakers. I will never forget Mallerie yelling, "G-Con!" And then, "America!"
How tall are your ceilings?
During Sunday dinner we were reflecting on the jolly lady named Sis Maw who bore her testimony in Sacrament meeting that day. Mallerie said, "We should go visit her!" Mallerie drove Alivia, Ava, and Grayson over. Before they left for their visit I said, "You should each think of a question you can ask her about her life or something." When they got back they were giddy, the way that true service leaves a person. I asked them about the questions they asked and the stories she told. They chuckled, "Grayson asked her, 'How tall are your ceilings?" I guess Sis Maw didn't know.
Egg-cellent!
I remember making sugar eggs as a Merry Miss years ago and have wanted to do it with my Laurels. I had the sugar eggs pre-molded because they need to dry over night. There were some extra and the girls said, "Can we go throw these in the parking lot?" No. No you may not!
Certainly the girls had no idea the effort it was to dye the sugar mixture, Graham and Callie did though and they wanted to decorate an egg if I had extra. This activity from start to finish was ONE hour! At home Callie decided she wants to leave the top removable so she can see her Easter scene.
The next day I went to an endowment session at the Timponogos Temple with the lady I visit teach. She was going through for her daughter who was killed a year ago in a car accident at the age of 20. I was cutting it so close time wise because that is a long way from Heber. I always feel like my dad when I am peeling in places like that. I found a photo of my friend and her kids on Facebook and made an egg of the three of them in the garden. After we came out of the temple and took some photos I checked my messages. There was a group text that had quite the thread going! I wondered, "What have I missed???" I realized it was from Mallerie exclaiming that her MISSION CALL was in her hand! WHAT!? When I was in Ephraim she told me that her interview with her Stake President was on April 14th. Well, the date was April 14th and the call was in her hand already. That little sneaky pants...not telling us that her interview date had been bumped up...
All of a sudden I had a busy day ahead of me. I needed to go home, clean up the house, and get some food ready for whoever showed up to watch her open her call. The temple group was headed to lunch at Chuck-A-Rama in Lehi and I decided I should pass. My secretary said, "NO, come! It'll be fast." So I went to lunch and was seated next to an older lady in the ward. As a topic of conversation I asked where her husband was. She couldn't believe I hadn't heard how ill he was and went on to explain in detail the gallons of puss that were drained from his infection. The warm clam chowder in my mouth suddenly seemed disgusting. I couldn't eat. I bid my farewells and headed out to the parking lot with my Secretary who wasn't eating either. Oh man alive, a ten-dollar bite of chowder.
I am going to give Mallerie's mission call opening its very own post and move on with April.
Easter!
I took Callie with me to the local Easter pageant. They would like for this to become a tradition, as is the Messiah in December. This was beautiful! Callie is my little buddy for things like this.
I love when Callie is busy in her own world pretending. I cringe when she is in her own world and then a friend knocks at the door
I texted this picture of Graham to Katrina with the caption, "How many beans?" She texted back, "Yessssss" She used to play that game with Mallerie when they were little by opening up their green beans and seeing who's guess was right.
Since Mallerie was in town she worked the Easter train with Ava. I went over to take some lunch and saw her and Bunny, I mean Binnie.
If the Easter train is in town, it must be Easter.
Since Mallerie and Ava found their Easter dresses at Down East, I just needed to get one for Callie, which was easy at Whimsy Lane. She loooves it. Those boys can't stay in their church clothes for two seconds after church.
Baskets for all, even pops. You never outgrow getting a basket of candy. Though the candy almost outgrew the baskets this year. Our regular large baskets were replaced with smaller ones;)
Kids DO outgrow an Easter egg hunt; fortunately that time is not yet for Graham and Callie.
Nor have they outgrown story time...
...or dyeing eggs. None of the dyed eggs were hidden outside since they were not hard-boiled.
After Sunday dinner we played Mexican train. Mallerie doesn't mess around with her score keeping. She kept the calculator at hand.
Mexican Train is how we did Easter, because we are the Bocanegra's.
I have got to get over the obsession I have with eating ice. It's bad bad bad.
For dessert I made a lime cheesecake with chocolate coconut crust. It was so awful. Looking at this picture brings back the memory of violent stomach pains. I thought maybe we were just sugared out from Easter. Nope, I tried it the next day. It was really that bad. I usually don't throw desserts away but this one was trash.
Callie was the winner in her age category for the Peep Show at the Library. Together we re-created Wilber's Pen from E. B White's Charlotte's Web. She wrote: There is a pig that is named Wilbur and there is another pig and his name is Uncle and Uncle is bigger then Wilbur so the next day Uncle got firt plays because he's bigger but his owners didn't wat to kill hem because he was a great pig.
By Callie Bocanegra age 8
On Monday there was a family jazz band dance that I had purchased tickets for from one of my Laurels but after picking up Callie's entry at the library I knew I was in no way going to a dance (that darn lime cheesecake literally made me sick).
Another 4th Grade Field Trip! Swaner Preserve, Park City Utah
Callie started complaining that I was going to all of Graham's field trips and none of hers.
Towards the end of the year her class went swimming at the Kamas pool. Couldn't do it.
Where are they finding these places? I haven't been to any of them. I fear by the time Callie gets into 4th grade I will be all Utah History'd out. While we were sitting in a fur skin presentation Graham was sitting in front of me on the floor. I had to resist the urge to pick him up and hold him on my lap.
I didn't realize when I went that it would be an all day event. I read in the note that we would be back after lunch. But that only meant that we would be at Wasatch State Park after lunch where we would HIKE. Oh my, I would have worn different shoes.
Family Activities at the Library
From time to time we go the activities at the library, such as movie the first Friday of the month, or family craft night, the third Friday of the month. In April we made kites. Oh boy oh boy, a kite.
During the summer I took Callie on craft day to make duct tape flip-flops. There was a girl at our table who ran gagging to the garbage can. She didn't make it and I could hear a splat behind me. I have lived long enough to know exactly what it was and to not turn around. Her mom was there to help her. We got outta there asap. So even though the craft is always great, the experience isn't always great.
Youth Conference April 28th-29th 2017
This was Matt's baby seeing as he is the Stake YM President. I knew all the planning and issues that went on behind the scenes. We spent the majority of the budget two years ago when I was on the committee for youth conference at Snow College so this was a low budge conference where the youth slept at home. Matt can rest assured it turned out great. On Friday night there was a Hunger Banquet, which I brought Grayson along to. He was only weeks away from turning 14 so he was allowed to go to everything but the dance. On the way to the Stake Center Grayson asked, "I thought it was a stay at home Youth Conference." I answered, "It is." He asked, "Then why are we going to the Stake Center?"
I was chosen to be in the poverty class for dinner.
I was impressed with all the things the youth were willing to share about their thoughts and feelings during the banquet. My cute Laurel Baylee sat by me. She is a gem and her enthusiasm for life rubs off on me. I need her. Ava was seated in the middle class section.
The next day was a get-to-know-you activity. As much as Gray didn't want to be there, he did it. There were classes and service projects the next day, oh and a REAL lunch.
During the Friday night Fireside, I got a call from home. Knowing Graham was home alone I stepped into the foyer to take the call. I asked Graham how he was doing. "Fine, Um, how do you preheat the oven?" I asked, "What do you need the oven on for?" "To cook my pizza." I was puzzled, "Where did you get a pizza?" He answered, "I made one." I was surprised, "You made the dough?" "Yes." "And the sauce?" "Yes." "And grated the cheese?" "Yes, so how do I turn on the oven?" I gave him instructions but was a little worried about it. When I came home I saw that he had in fact burned himself taking the pizza out and then he hadn't even eaten it. Turns out he had used 1/4 C of Salt instead of 1/4 tsp. of salt in the dough. Still, I was very impressed that that was his only mistake!
When I came home on Saturday I saw that Callie had been using a much safer dough. Phew.
Ademir was the DJ for the dance on Saturday night. I couldn't believe Kei came along when Kaleiokalani Evangelina Cacique was only born on Monday! (born 4.25.17)
They did a spectacular job with keeping the energy up at the dance. And who needs decorations when there is sweet lighting?
And I know how it feels to have one of the events in the rear view mirror. Niiiiice.
And with that, my April re-cap is also in the rear view mirror.
I am happy to report that Gray's temperament seems to be mellowing out. We were remembering a few years back when he was having a particularly grouchy evening. As I got in the van to take Mallerie to work, the other kids got in the car happy for a break! After dropping off Mal I said, "I don't really want to go back home to that just yet." So we ate dinner at Cafe' Rio and then brought some home for Grayson. He was very distraught that we had gone out to eat without him even though we brought him food. He kept asking, "Was that the master plan??" It has become a bit of a joke over the years, "Was that the master plan?" So for his birthday Matt presented him with a journal, on the cover was inscribed, "THE MASTER PLAN."
I am happy to report that Gray's temperament seems to be mellowing out. We were remembering a few years back when he was having a particularly grouchy evening. As I got in the van to take Mallerie to work, the other kids got in the car happy for a break! After dropping off Mal I said, "I don't really want to go back home to that just yet." So we ate dinner at Cafe' Rio and then brought some home for Grayson. He was very distraught that we had gone out to eat without him even though we brought him food. He kept asking, "Was that the master plan??" It has become a bit of a joke over the years, "Was that the master plan?" So for his birthday Matt presented him with a journal, on the cover was inscribed, "THE MASTER PLAN."
