Parade Day For Mesquite Day

Small town . . . gotta love it. Where else would you find seventy year old scantily clad and tap dancing down main street? This was parade was better than it had been for the last three years, but still, I was surprised at the amount of people over 70 in the parade. I really think the fountain of youth has been found somewhere in or around this town.
These were the young princesses . . .

The boyscouts . . .

The old farmer with the old tractor . . .

I don't know how old this clown was . . . Cambria was brave enough to give him a high five, but Kiera has a fear of clowns . . .

The Rodeo Princess . . . Cambria has a new dream to aspire too . . .

The old covered wagon with an add for the new sushi bar coming to town . . .

The horse and carriage that was at my girlies b-day party . . .

The cowboys . . .

The Indians . . . I mean Native Americans . . .

Mrs. Senior Mesquite . . . I've got a new goal to aspire too . . . Hot rods . . .

Old fire truck . . .

Old military vehicle . .

The MesquiteToes . . . a tap dancing senior citizen group . . . You should have seen them perform . . . the stripped down to these t-shirts that had bikini's painted on them . . . very scandalous.

The red hatters . . .

Seeing all these old woman thriving and doing what they love without qualm or evidence of embarrassment makes me wonder what I will do when I am old . . . so I worked out a schedule:

Monday: swim to work out at the local rec center(early in the morning of course so I don't scar any young people ) and then at night I'll go to the empty nesters FHE.

Tuesday: Library day: I'll spend some time perusing may favorite novels in a cushy chair somewhere . . . Then I'll head off to practice my dance routine with the MesquiteToes Dancing Ambassadors. They have even been booked on cruise ships, so you know it will be a lot of serious work.

Wed: back to the pool in the early morning and then off to play Bingo.

Thursday: I'll make this be my official doctor day, Old people are always at the doctor or so they tell me. I might as well be proactive about it. We'll make this date night too, that way Kai and I can still keep the spark alive.

Friday: another day at the rec center and a day to write all my grandchildren and read ALL the mail they will have sent me. I thin I will also use this day to campaign to be Mrs. Senior Mesquite. I'll also make sure my tiara's from my previous wins are polished nicely.

Saturday: Grocery Shopping day, at least this seems to be senior citizen day in Mesquite and digital scrapbooking and family history day.

Sunday: Church and nap day . . .it's been a long week. It's hard to be old . . . Youth is wasted on the young!

Good Reads

I loved these books:

The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander :
I don't know what it is about western novels that captivate me so. It must be something about a wild and unruly land trying to be tamed by brave men and women who had the courage to want more from their lives and sought out adventure far from a civilized society. The stories take on a new life to me here in the desert of Nevada where evidence of cowboys and settlers still lie in plane site like my heaping piles of laundry. It took a certain caliber of person to establish this country . . . I know I couldn't have done it.

McKenna Ashford is a talented saddler ( a talent that she has to keep hidden because it is a mans work), independent young woman and "mother" to her defiant brother 9 years her junior. She moves to Colorado to flee their troubled past and to try to make a new life. Her brother makes this extremely difficult since he seems determined to destroy any opportunity - which aren't many- that comes their way. Her new life in Colorado isn't what she thought it would be and seems to be filled with constant struggle and disappointment.
Matters become even more complicated when a US Marshal enters the picture and McKenna fears that he is in pursuit of her brother.
But of course the underlying current in this story is love, and love is the thing that makes any story worth telling.

Beloved Emma by Lori E. Woodland

This is a captivating true story about the life of the Prophets Joseph Smith's wife. What insight it will give you into her life and the kind of woman she was! Oh, how she loved her husband and supported him through trial and persecution. I was so impressed with her strength, dignity and ability to endure the most dreadful of circumstances as well as saddened by the effects of her pride. This is a book you won't want to miss out on.

New flowers on Say It Sweetly

If you like these check them out . . . they are on sale for $4 dollars each for two weeks only! (reg. $6 each)

sayitsweetly.blogspot.com

Tubes

So, I wish I had tried the advice about a dairy free diet to see if it had worked, but now we have tubes. He did well. The surgery was fast and he brought himself out of the anesthesia haze quite quickly. I hope this is the last time my babies are ever admitted to the hospital.

He has been saying 'hi' to everyone we see which makes me think that since he can hear now he is happy to be involved with the rest of the world instead of staying in his own little world.

Fun on the Farm

My kids have a new best friend . . . he is 26 years old and his name is Cameron.Cameron is one of my husband's counselors in Young Men. Kai used to bring the kids to a lot of the activities and the rest is history. Oh, yeah, they love his cute wife Brittney too!
Today we got to go to a play date with two other families to Cameron's family farm. It was great!

Bubba loves Cameron . . .

Love this boy . . .

He would have spent the whole day this way if he could have. He would run down this trailer and jump into Cameron's arms.

My little goat roper . . . She should have been born into a ranching or farming family . . . we are thankful we got her though.

Don't let their faces fool you . . . they were stoked to have a real live horseshoe. Oh, and Cambria had her face painted like a cat earlier . . . that is why it looks dirty:)

This goat was friendly on his (or her as the case may be) terms only. He was nice enough to the kids, but he kept head butting the other goats. Maybe he was jealous (or she:))

The stack of hay was like 12 feet high. The kids thought they were on top of the world.

Me

For the first time in four years I have a calling that is outside of the primary. I have just been called to be a teacher in Young Women's class. I guess I will be teaching two to three Sundays a month to a combined group. What I think I have heard is that they don't split into age level classes because there aren't enough girls to do so. I am a little nervous. The last time I taught young women's I had a class of more than ten chatty beehives who wore mid -drift bear shirts and skirts and liked to text throughout class. I hope this is a better experience.

I have also started babysitting again. I have my niece, Kiana all day Thursday and my cousin in laws baby boy (8 1/2) all day Friday. While babysitting is not something that I would actively seek out as an added income, I do enjoy helping ou my extended family.

I feel really blessed that I am able to be a "stay at home mom". I know that some say that phrase with shame or in a negative context, but I love it and more than that I chose it on purpose. I'm not saying I'm the best mom. Please don't mistake my ramblings for a claim on being the best mother. I am merely expressing my joy in being a mother who is able to be home with my kiddos.

I am an educated women with a B.S. degree from BYUH in Special education and in no way do I feel like one second of my education went to waste because I chose to stay home. My experiences made me who I am and enrich the lives of my children. I feel like I am raising children who will be an asset to society as well as to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have heard some women say that they feel staying home with their children is boring or unstimulating. While I admit that not everyday is sunshine and rainbows, I enjoy being able to teach and nurture and watch my children grow. I also like being able to regulate what kinds of things they are exposed to. I'm not saying being a working mom is a bad thing,I am just saying that I am thankful that I get to be at home with my little ones. They grow so fast and soon childhood will be behind them. Someday I'll go back to work, but just now I am happy right where I am.

I taught school for three years. 3-5 grade. I grew to love my students. I taught children with severe physical and mental learning disabilities. Hawaii calls my class room situation, fully self contained. Let me tell you three reasons why being a mom is harder than being a school teacher:
1.) As a teacher I had two student free breaks, recess and lunch.
2.) I was able to use the restroom without an entourage.
3.) My students never woke me up in the middle of the night to get them a sippee cup.

ok nap time is over . . . gotta go

Speechless

I think I have been in denial for sometime now. I knew there was a problem but I so didn't want to have to do surgery again. Especially after my last horrible experience with Kiera. I was hoping Bubba's speech would come . . . that he would tart to talk now that we took his pasi away. No such luck.
But today my fears were confirmed and my denial was overridden by reality . . . My little Bubby chubs can't hear out of his right ear because of an excess fluid build up. His left ear is okay, but could become a problem because fluid lives there too.

So he will become my second baby to have tubes put in his ear. I look forward to hearing his speech improve or in his case exist at all.

Say What?- March Edition

Kai: Girls, go get my backpack!
Cambria: Ohhh, it's heavy!
Kai: It's not heavy to me because I'm Will Stronghold! (Sky High anyone??)
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Kai: Jesus can make anything happen . . .
Kiera: (interrupting) Yeah! If he says 'Mountain move!' It moves . . .

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Kiera: Isn't it sad that our friend's daddy doesn't want to be a part of her family anymore?
Amy: Yes, it is. He has made some very bad choices.
Kiera: Yeah, and he will be punished for his own sins and not for Adam's transgressions! (Can you tell what article of faith she worked on in primary?)

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Cambria: Look Christopher! It's the last melon . . . (Ice Age) She thought she was hilarious

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Kiera: Mom, I have a purple pen in my room, can you go get it??
Amy: Yes Kiera because I live to serve . . .
Cambria: ME too! You know when I used to get mad about picking up my toys? Well I learned to get the madness away!
Amy: Good job Honey, that's important

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Cambria: )referring to school lunch) Every fish day and burrito day is a wonderful day!
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Doing Cambria's homework:
Question one: Who works at night (ex: doctors, police . . )
Cambria: Oh, I know, moms and dads.
Amy: Surprised by the answer: Yes, What do they do?
Cambria: Fold laundry and stuff.
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Amy: Tomorrow for your birthday I'll bring cake to your class.
Cambria: Mom, can you please tell my teacher so she isn't surprised.

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Amy: Kiera I can't believe that you are four years old today!
Kiera: Mom I am not four until I eat my birthday cake.
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Riding Bike home from Cambria's school - - it was a test run to see f we could make it a part of our daily routine.
Amy: Cambria, you are really doing great! Do you feel like you are doing great?
Cambria: Yes! I feel like a wasp I'm going so fast!

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Kiera: (naming her poop - sorry) That is Kenny's grandma and grandpa and those are his ancestors from Spain.
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Kiera: Mom, my friend is being mean so I am going to go help Dad "move" the lawn. (mow the lawn)

We Love spring break in California!
Here are my Stories!!!!

Stolen Purse:
So, My mom and I set out to Michael's craft store with the kids to buy some last minute things for Candi's shower. By the end of our shopping trip two out of the three kids were a wreck and my mom and I each had one in our arms. My mom pushed the shopping cart with all of our purchased material and my purse right up to the back of my van. We strapped in the upset kids and drove away. Yeah, we left my purse and the goods in the parking lot. I don't know how we didn't notice since it was backed up to my car. We went to the park and called the store as soon as we noticed the blunder. I was a little annoyed, but I was completely disturbed until I realized that my purse was among the missing items.
The Michael's worker that my mom spoke to onthe phone sad she had gone out to collect our cart (it was the only red one) and it was pushed up against a beat up car that looked like it was recently salvaged from the juk yard. Inside the cart was my shopping list and three items that had fallen out of my bags when someone removed them. She said she saw a scruffy man walking out of the bank coming back towards his junkyard car and she got scared so she ran back into the store with the cart.
I cancled my checks and credit cards called about my Dr. lic and spent and hour or more at the police dept making a report. You see in all of Nevada's genious the put your soc. sec # on your Dr. Lic. So baiscally who ever stole my pusre had everything they needed for identity theft.
I had a headache all day. 5 hours late a Michael's worker called and said some guy had just returned my purse and two of my bags of goods to the store.
Weird. It was in a different cart. All my cash and credit cards were in it . . . I can't figure out why it was returned - even the cash. Maybe the theif knew he had been I-deed and didn't want to be caught with stolen property (which I learned is a felony). Any theories?

Candi's Wedding shower:
There were several moments in my months of planning Candi's shower that I doubted it would ever actually occur. It ended up being a wonderful event full of family and friends and fantastic gifts. Thank you to all who helped and attended. My Aunt and cousins made and served a wonderful dessert: a mini pazookie in a heart shaped bowl (which I did not get to taste darnit!). It was so cute! We played three games:
1. What's in your purse? A game in which you earn points for various items in your purse, the more rare, the higher the points. Items worth points included, receipts, keys, lip stick, tampon etc. You wouldn't believe the things people carry around in their purse!!
2. A game for Candi: How well do you Know Jonathan? A list with questions about himself that he had answered. She had to see if she knew his answers . . . she only missed one . . . she did great!!
3. Present Steal: A times game played with 3-4 sets of dice. There were 15 presents sitting in the middle of the room Each time a double was rolled by a guest they got to choose a present. We played for 5 to 7 minutes. Once the presents in the middle of the floor were gone, you could steal a gift from another guest. This game was so hilarious! It got pretty vicious. I have never seen so many woman of all ages groping for present sin such a fashion - - so funny!
It was a great event and ended with Candi getting fabulous stuff to start out her new life with Jonathan as her husband.

Clark County Fair!
This fun event comes around once a year. It is a huge Fair that draws crowds from all over Nevada. We left California a little before 9am and arrived at the fair around 1:00PM. The kids enjoyed various rides, tasty food, lots of animals to pet and look at fresh farm dirt to dig up some veggies. We found a carrot and an onion.

Papa was in his element driving around the fair in this little cart.

This pig made me realize that I really don't have it that bad. I will remember her on my bad days and feel better.

Easter:
Long have I dreamt about an Easter Morning at my own house. I dreamed about my little children in their beautiful clothes and barefeet running from bush to bush finding colored eggs while trampling through the long green grass of my own backyard. Well, it finally happened and though it was a bit quiet without our extended family, we sure needed the rest. It was a long week.

Cambria and Kiera were really excited about hunting eggs. Malachi was really excited that he could take his own shorts off and run around in the grass. He also thought it was super cool that we gave him his own basket to collect eggs in. He never filled it with anything, instead he walked all around the yard trying to toss the basket as high as he could. It seemed very satisfying.
Thank you mom for their beautiful Easter duds:)

My two beauties and my lil' business man!

We still have the internet!

So Kai hasn't canceled the net yet. Maybe it's just one of those things he "says" he's going to do like give me a massage, put a liner in the trash can or mop the floor.

So in my upcoming post you will read about the following events:
1. Spring Break in Ca.
2. Awesome wedding shower for my cuz Candi
3. My purse being stolen
4. March's "Say What?"

I know they are all things to look forward too . . .
Happy Easter!