Hello out there!

July 23, 2007
Computer had trouble, so have not journal in a while.

July 4th Michigan trip to see Lisa and Becky’s family was really fun. It was Amish country, we went on a horse and buggy ride, to the flea market, to Amish museum, puppet show, out to eat at a fancy Amish restaurant, stayed up late catching fireflies, swim in the lake, and camped out in Lisa’s back yard the last night – and went to see the fireworks. Lisa and Becky’s kids are so big, did not realize how long it had been. Kimberly is all grown up, and into photography, so we have lots of pictures of this trip. Christina and Heather got a long really well, Christina sent Heather home with some barby dolls, and horses. They wrote a book together. Jonathan and James were close in age, both into Thomas the Train, and both had a bit of a hard time sharing.

Quilting Bee – 200 + quilts donated, progressive dinner with the Hedingrens and Rasmusen’s. Swimming, trying to get things fixed after lightning struck the house. Trying to fix pool, put up new fence, do some work in back yard, trying to get it to be a little more kid friendly. Planted avocado tree in front. Doug got another raise at work, getting ready to go to Canada, and Colorado for the consortium meeting. Baptism I got to play the piano at, really nice little family, was a really nice baptism. Cooking with the kids – made cinimon bread, James burned his finger on the pan. Got 3 months of food storage from last canning trip. Learning how to make baked beans, starting to enjoy cooking more. Book club – Bonds that Make us Free – really good book about becoming selfless, although in the end, you cannot force yourself to become this, it is a gift that is given to you… am still reading through it trying to figure it out. Pam Melendez through back surgery – hard recovery, she thought she was going to die for awhile, but in the end, I think she will be ok. Adriane having trouble again, in hospital after a bad date.. everyone going to Dallas for awhile. Hard to know what kind of service to try and give them. Watched the kids during the surgery – did not call Pam, wish I would have.

Heather
We went and got her school supplies, sewed the unicorn patch on her back pack. Her first day of kindergarten is getting closer. She said the scripture in church last week – Doctrine and Covenants 6:36 – Look unto me in all things. Doubt not fear not. She did the scripture really well, but forgot the reference – so she stood there and waited until Doug went up and helped her. I was playing the piano in RS so I did not get to come hear her. Heather still doing her ballet class.

James
Is still into cars. We found his lost lightning McQueen the other day, which was very exciting to him. They all play make believe – especially after watching bridge to terribithia. James says he is Jess, and they run around the house reenacting parts of the movie. It will be a hard thing when Heather goes to school and James is stuck at home. James would really like to go to school too – we can get out the desk, and start doing some home schooling perhaps.

Autumn
Climbed into bathtub with James while I was taking care of Heather in other bathtub. Luckily there was not a lot of water in the bathtub, so she was ok.
Autumn climbed up and fell down stairs. She is a climber like her brother. Se can stand very well, but is not walking yet. By the end of the day, the knees on her pants are all dirty. She is up to 6 teeth, and has quite a cute grin.







July 27-29
Sea world with Nammy and Grampa Moose! Nammy and Grampa paid for everything – made me feel guilty… It was really fun though, Heather and James are old enough to enjoy stuff like this now, little Autumn figuring out how the wheels on her stroller worked – but was a little tropper and did very well for getting drug around all day. It was good to get kids together with grandparents.



Tuesday July 31st
Savannah over, dinner to Hedingrins

Wednesday August 1st

Thursday August 2nd
Enrichment night – last minute cancellation, so instead of self-defense class by a cop – we had cinnamon roll class by Karen. Interesting discussion afterwards – how old do you picture yourself in the pre-existence? For me – college student, lots of knowledge, no experience. For the war, and the other 2/3 who came here – interesting thought about 3 different groups of people, not all necessarily the same size – one group just wanted bodies, one group wanted celestial kingdom? But just speculations.

Friday August 3rd
Tadpoles at Elm grove Park with Brealyn and Kensington Vincent.

Saturday August 4th
Saturday night BBQ at Farrarers – Colorado reunion. It was fun to see everyone – has not been that long, some things about everyone the same, others different. Now we are all having kids, working instead of going to school etc. Life goes on!


Wednesday August 8th
Happy anniversary! 9 years – that is a long time! Canceled Heena’s piano lesson, got stuff for sis kabobs. Pool back up and running, went swimming again, felt good. I had the bobs all ready to cook – Doug cooked while kids and I went for one last quick swim. Watched a movie – back to the future. Simple, relaxed, nice anniversary.

Thursday August 9th
I think Doug is going to be in Canada next week Wed - Sat - then Colorado the week after. I think he is staying with Dorothy, sounds like he will only have one day to try and see everyone. Got some free plants today, and traded your old glider chair -I hope you don't mind, the cushions were not doing so well in the humidity - traded it for a wood porch swing that does not require cushions - still have to try and hang the porch swing up on the porch though. Doug and the kids are a little sick. I might cancel weekend stuff (Bonds that make us Free Book club, Pam Malendez work party, …. ) and use sick kids as an excuse… but it probably is not just an excuse.
Friday Aug 10th
Ditched Bonds book discussion to be home with family, went to Cici’s, watched new Winnie the Pooh movie.

Saturday Aug 11th
Ditched Pam Mel work party – used gift certificate to go out to breakfast. Put my family first right? Until the kids get older, I will have to be more considerate about not serving others at their expense. Got porch swing, went swimming, Elijah’s birthday party, watched Pink Panther and Davinchi Code. Met baby possum by Chaco’s food dish – put cat and dog in garage for the night. Autumn is taking her first steps – she called out mama to me. She sleeps in her car seat – can’t get her to sleep otherwise…


Sunday Aug 12th
Doug sick, I took all the kids to church. Slept in the afternoon, Sunday phone calls. Kalya is married, they will be living in the barn next to Marjorie Dale’s – helping out Marjorie – hopefully it will be good for everyone. Dad is still working on his computer class, mom is coming out on Thursday which will be fun.

Monday Aug 13th
Doug stayed home from work sick – I made him spend his sick day hanging up the porch swing. He dropped it on his foot while trying to hang it up – poor Doug, that would be really embarrassing to have to admit to an off work injury on a sick day where he was outside with no shoes on! It was nice to have him home though, and he really was sick!

Tuesday August 14th
Heena’s piano lesson.

Wednesday August 15th
Said goodbye to Doug in the morning, he will take a limo to the airport to Colorado today. Spent day cleaning the house, went through Heather’s box of pre-school stuff, stacked up the papers and crafts, and put them in a bag in the cedar chest. Went to Lowe’s and got hardware for hanging up the little swing, picked up a new phone and a cute little birdhouse.

Thursday August 16 2007
Rainy day – tropical storm. Went grocery shopping and did some last minute cleaning. Hopefully mom’s flight will not be delayed too much because of the weather. Nicole wrote this morning about the grocery game again – I really need to get organized and do this. She also referred me to her blog site – decided to start my own as it is an easy way to share photos etc. without large email attachments. It might also be good motivation to journal more consistently.

Greg and Katie news – Brooke Renee Turner born August 4th 2007, 8 lbs 5 oz and 20.5 inches long. Born 3:18 aM at Lutheran Hospital in Wheatridge.

Mom gets here – there was some flooding at the airport, so she was a little late getting in. Stephanie and Martin came in late – at around 11:30, we almost missed them! I think they were only outside fo around 5 minutes before I heard them, got up out of bed, and came down. Thought they decided just to head straight to Colorado when they did not call or come by earlier. They said it took them longer to pack then they had expected.

Friday august 17th
We went for a walk so Heather could show Nammy how she can ride her bike, and where her school is. It is pretty hot out, so after the walk, we went swimming – a little cold for Nammy, but felt good to me! We had some lunch, and then went shopping for school cloths – a new experience for me, we always just get hand-me-downs / yardsale stuff, but with grandparents, we will make an actual shopping trip. What luck – it just happened to be tax free weekend. We ended up getting all her cloths at one store, Gymbore, they are really cute outfits! Back home, made pizzas and watched little kids movies.

Saturday august 18th
Hurricane Dean looking like it might be a threat. Mom watched the kids while I ran out and got water, food, extra gas tanks filled up. Dean would not be here until Wednesday, if it gets here at all – still there were long lines at the grocery store, and all the water was was sold out at Wal-Mart. Heather went to Daxon’s birthday party – it was a pirates theme, looked like a lot of fun. We had lunch, went to the park, and then dropped Nammy off at the airport. Felt homesick to watch her go. It was raining hard out, and that added to the gloomy atmosphere.

Sunday August 19th
Got up at 6:30, was able to give all the kids a bath, dressed, and to church. Checked hurricane Dean on the news, it is over Jamaica today, predictions say it should hit Mexico instead of us – there is one prediction that it does come straight for Houston though, so it is nice that we have some extra bottled water in the garage! Went to open house at Karen’s to say goodbye to the Knorpps, then off to the airport to pick Doug up. Granny and Grampy went to the Western slope, sounds like there was a pretty big Snyder reunion for a wedding, around 250 people came. Dad bought a new motorcycle, this one has a larger gas tank and can go on long road trips. It is also water cooled.

Monday August 20th.
Went for a jog to Heather’s school and back – just trying to get used to it. Tied the dog to the stroller, and he pulled it like a sled dog. Heather is getting good on her bike, it is turning into a morning run instead of morning jog to keep up with her! The home for a quick swim, then bath, lunch, nap, then to the park with Holly, Kaylee, Ryan, and Tyler. This is Holly’s first day with the newborn all alone, Alan is in Chicago. FHE tonight, had lasagna, story in friend about quality is better than a rushing.
Heather asked Doug if she could “change” her shoes, Doug said yes – thinking she was just playing dress up. A little later, the shoes came back colored in marker… but Doug said she could “change” them, so she did not get in trouble. Little James was pretending to be a character named “Jess”. Heather said James thought he was Jess, then Doug said, no he is just pretending. Heather said, do you think you are Jess? James kept saying “what?” rather than answering her. Then Heather said “ Do you think you are Jess!! Say yes or no!!! so James said “yes or no” – exactly what he was told to say. The problem with 2yo, you don’t quite know if they are being ornery on purpose or not. Autumn is on the go, I can’t just hold her at the park anymore, she climbs on the play equipment with the big kids now. She laughs at James and Heather, and likes to tackle them. I found James pushing on her back, holding her down – James was sent to time out, but I think Autumn may have instigated the tackle as she was laying on the floor laughing about the situation. New bedtime – 8:00, have to get used to a different schedule with school starting next week!

Tuesday Aug 21st
Yardwork in the morning, then went for a swim, gave all the kids a bath. Went to Bear Branch, signed all the paperwork for Heather. 7:00 VT Karen and Edith Jensen.

Wednesday august 22nd
Dry run for Heather’s first day at school. Dropped Doug off at work, ate breakfast in the dark, got changed, then went for a jog to school. Made it there and back in 25 minutes. Went for a swim, baths.

Thursday august 23rd
Another jog to school, then swimming. Gave the dog a flea bath, then sprayed him with bug poison – just can’t seem to kill those little buggers! Went KYS- got some really cool toys – Bob the builder set with tons of the little character vehicles and roads to drive on, Caliou set with big treehouse and airplane, pirates set with little people, boats, treasure boxes, etc. – I might save them for Christmas/birthdays coming up – is that horrible to give KYS toys for holidays to your kids? They are cheaper, and better than anything I could find in the stores though, I don’t think my kids will care they don’t come in their original box. We will test it out – give one KYS present, and one new present and see which one they like better. New videos came in the mail, Legacy, and New Testament, they are pretty good but do not compare to just reading about the events. There will always be something “fake” about watching actors on a set in a movie where reading it – it just makes it more real. Funny thing came in the mail – the lightning loss affidavit from the electrical company who first came out to give us a quote – they came out on June 21st, so it only took them a little over 2 months to get it to us… I don’t know if it will do any good at this point, but sent it on to our insurance claims adjuster just in case. Autumn has discovered her tongue, and now likes to keep it sticking out of her mouth wherever she goes. 8:00 VT Karen Rasmussen.