Sunday April 30

It was a nice day today.

Cassi had BYC at 9.

Then Emmy and Elsie and Madi went and joined Cassi at church for choir.

The boys and I came later for church :)

In Sacrament meetings the talks were centered on being truly converted.

Then in Sunday School we talked about Gifts we are given.

Then for YW, we talked about Joseph Smith.

We got home and ate lunch and Dad went Home Teaching.

Then it was time to say our goodbyes to Emmy :(

It has been so great having her here!

I have to apologize to her for all the fighting.....specifically from the two oldest girls!!!!!

But I think overall she enjoyed her visit :)

It was another beautiful day outside so the kids spent a lot of time outdoors.

We are just all so excited for nice weather!!!!!

Elsie helped me fill my buckets of branches that I am trying to grow roots on :)

It is working!!!!!

There is still lots to do in the yard, but it is looking good :)

Needing to get started on some more painting of the house!!!!!

Saturday April 29 (add pictures)

It has been a fun full day!!!!

We started out with chores and laundry.

Then it was so nice outside, we decided to head out to do yard work.

We got all the trees done and trimmed!!!!!

Yay!!!!!

Everyone helped picking up the sticks.

The lawns got mowed and Port and Dad took care of the weed whacking.

We all went in for lunch and got ready and headed to the Discovery Center.

This was the last weekend for Sue, the largest T-Rex.

Port has been dying to see her!

I am glad we got to take Emmy with us :)

For the most part things went good......

There was some fighting.

A major meltdown from Elsie when we left and she didn't get to buy anything from the gift shop....

That was fun.... :(

When we got home, dad got dinner started, and I ran to the store with Emmy and Elsie.

Cassi went babysitting for a little bit.

She came home right on time to watch Fantastic Beasts with us.

It ended up being a very late night!!!!!!

Hope everyone is happy tomorrow!!!!

I will add fun pictures later......

Friday April 28

What a fantastic day!!!!!!

Today was the performance of Elsie's play that they have been working on for the last four months!

To say Elsie was excited is beyond and understatement!

I am so proud with how hard she has worked and the awesome attitude and excitement she has had this whole time!

It was amazing!

So there was a 9:30 showing and she had quit the crowd show up to watch her perform.

Mom, Dad and Emmy, then Bubbles and Eldon along with Billy and Vern.

With Port in the audience with his class.

It was so much fun!

She had so much energy and loved it so much!

After the play, Dad went and did some prep work for a class he is teaching in a few weeks.

And Emmy and I just sat and chatted and had lunch.

It was a nice time.

We left to pick up Cassi around 2.

The second showing didn't start until 3, but there was hardly any room to sit for the first show, and we wanted front and center for the second performance!

So we got to the school and hung out until it was time :)

Madi and Dad showed up just before the play started.

It was so much fun again :)

You could definitely tell that Elsie was tired and worn out from the day.....but still did a fantastic job!!!!

I can;t say it enough times how proud I am of her!!!!!

Just her willingness to put herself out there and do something that is (was) out of her comfort zone.

Well done, Elsie Rose!!!!!!

After school we went and watched Port's game.

The team played awesome!

They had some great moves and they are really starting to learn how to listen to coach :)

Too bad the season is almost over!!!!

After the game, we all went out for dinner to Red Robin :)

It was pretty busy and took quite a while to get our food....but they kept bringing fries....and we were pretty ravenous each time a basket came out!

I am sure it looked pretty ridiculous :)

Like a bunch of dogs fighting over a big juicy steak!

Finally we ate and wouldn't you know it....we were stuffed with fries :)

Dad found a piece of plastic on Madi's wrap and he pointed it out to her just as the waitress came by.

She said, we can make another one.....but we were like, it's no big deal.

You could tell it was just a piece of plastic from a bag that was cut open......

Anyway.

Not a big deal for us.

Anyway, the manager came over and said that they took that of the meal, so it was free.

Pretty cool!

Even though it didn't bother us, they still wanted to fix it for us, which I think was pretty great.

Then we made a stop at Krispy Kreme.

Everyone has been doing really well with the challenge this week and we all used our free sugar day to enjoy some doughnuts :)

So it was a pretty great day and we are excited to have more fun with Emmy and the family tomorrow!

Thursday April 27

We got the house cleaned up for our weekend guest :)

Then Dad and I went to the school to run laps with the kids.

Well, with Port :)

Elsie had drama club practice.

But we had fun with Port.

Well, Dad walked laps with Billy :)

Port ran 11 laps....just 1 lap short of 3 miles!!!!!

I didn't run the first lap with him, and had to take a bathroom break for one of his laps.

But other than that, we stuck together :)

He did awesome!

Funny kid though kept checking back at me to make sure i was still there.

I told him I wasn't gonna go....he could just face forward.....

But he kept on checking.

Silly boy!

We got home and Dad cleaned bathrooms while I trimmed trees.

Then the kids came home.

Port and the boys helped me pick up sticks and then they went over to Vern's and picked up another truckload full!

Good hard workers!!!!

Elsie had after school practice for the show.

The show is tomorrow!!!!!!

Yay!

We are beyond excited!

And even better....Emmy is here to see the show!!!!!

How awesome is she to make the trip to come and see Elsie in her play!

Emmy got here a little after 6:30.

The boys had already left for football practice and Madi and I had to leave for a meeting at her school.

She was invited to go to a trip to New York/Washington over Spring Break next year.

It is an amazing tour of amazing historical sites.

It is very exciting!

I had a visitor while trimming trees....

I don't even like cats!

(This one is pretty sweet though)

Wednesday April 26

It rained all day and I had a hard time getting into the groove of getting things done.

But I did.....I finally did :)

Just the boring stuff....laundry, clean kitchen, grocery shopping.

Then the minute the kids got home from school it was a tornado.....

I took Port to scouts, but had to pick him up the same time Madi had to go for a Miamaid class presidency meeting.

So I needed to make some dinner so she could have it before she left at 6....then pick up Porter, at 6.

I also took Cassi to the church because had a 6:15 meeting with the bishopric before our 6:30 beehive class presidency meeting.

Then YW was at 7.

And Dad is working, so the little ones are with me.

We did first aid certification for girls camp.

We first broke them up into groups for each girls camp year, and the YCL's taught the girls.

Then we all came together and Sister Bates taught them CPR.

It was a fun night.

Port had fun with the CPR stuff!

Elsie too :)

Tuesday April 25

I had a YW pres meeting, so that is why it is a late night,

Luckily I got the little ones to bed BEFORE the meeting!

So today I worked in the office.

After that I ran Cassi some papers she forgot.

Then there is a neighbor moving, and I went and helped her pack up some stuff for a couple hours.

I came home and cleaned the kitchen and tried to edit some pictures.....

But I was struggling :)

So I took a 20 minute nap, then did the pictures :)

Elsie had speech after school, and she did great.

During that time, Port came running in after having a blow out with Max.

He was very upset and I was pretty sure they would never be friends again.

I tried to figure out what happened......and before you knew it Max was back over and it was like nothing ever happened.

Boys are so different from girls!!!!

Ha ha ha!

We ate dinner and got homework done.

Cassi did a workout downstairs and while looking for something to put on the TV, she found some old picture discs....so we had fun looking at pictures from when Elsie was a little baby :)

Then we did scriptures and prayer and got to bed early so I could leave for the meeting.

The key to this working out was to not let the little ones know I would be leaving!!!!!

And it worked!

Yay, they fell asleep and there was no problems after I left :)

 Madi, enjoying some outdoor painting before doing homework....

Like nothing ever happened!

Monday April 24

It rained much of the day today.

It was very beautiful....but made it hard to get the yard work done that I wanted to!

I actually took a nap after taking the kiddos to school.

I was so beyond exhausted!

Cassi had a rough night going to sleep again and Port found his way down and woke me up and I had a hard time getting back to sleep :(

I am hoping for a better night tonight!

Dad got some stuff done with those pesky dump truck tires!

He also went to the store for me to get a few things we needed :)

Just before Madi got home from school, I had about a half hour where it had stopped raining and I could go outside and get a little bit of pruning done!

Yay!

Then I went and got the little ones, and it started raining again.

But I won't complain about the rain......

I was just telling Brent that we needed to get some water over to the Lilacs, because I really want them to do well this year.

But this morning I said, maybe we don't need to :)

I am excited for them to bloom.

I am starting to smell a little bit of sweet fragrance....and it makes me so happy!

For FHE we talked about the challenge we are officially starting this week :)

We also talked about making our home a refuge....and anchor in the storm.

A place to love and be loved.

That is something we need desperately right now.

I am not sure what is going on, but there is so much fighting, anger and just plain meanness!!!

It breaks my mama heart.

I am hoping for a better week ahead!

Sunday April 23

I am not really liking how busy our Sundays have been lately :(

But....what can ya do?!?!?!?!

I got up early before anyone else was awake, and made sure I had everything ready for my lesson.

Then the fam got all ready, and the girls left for choir.

Church was great.

I taught in YW about why having the Book of Mormon is important.

I enjoyed the lesson and the things I learned and the participation of the girls.

My favorite part was the scripture in Ezekiel 37:15-17.

15 The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying,

16 Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:

17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.

I loved this because here there is this scripture, in the Bible, that makes reference to the Book of Mormon.

One stick from Judah (Bible), and one stick from Ephraim (Book of Mormon).

Why do they talk about a stick???

Well, records were kept on a scroll, and it was wound about a stick :)

So when they say stick, they are speaking of the records kept.

Okay, so another cool part.....check out the last verse.

And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand

Now think about your scriptures.....even on your phone.

Aren't they both held in one hand????

The Book of Mormon and the Bible are meant to join together as one!!!!!

Oh so much coolness there!

Anyway.....

After church we had a little snack before Madi left for a YCL meeting.

Not long after, Cassi and I met up with the other class presidencies (and Madi came too) and we planned out the YW/YM activities for the rest of the year.

When we got home, it had been raining and it was just so pretty outside.

I keep hoping for another rainbow to show up behind my house so I can take a cool picture......but it didn't happen today.

We did have a rainbow in the front yard though :)

Which was still pretty great.

Dad grilled some chicken for us and we had a yummy dinner together before the big girls and I had to leave AGAIN for a stake Youth fireside.

It was a very good fireside though.

 A little Mater time before church :)

She loves that doggy!

 Making plans for Emmy's visit in a few days!

There is a rainbow in the distance....I promise!

:)

Saturday April 22

It has been quite the crazy day.

I woke up early to workout and get some stuff done before others woke up.

Then I left at 9 to go and help set stuff up at the church for the ward Talent night.

I was there for about an hour, then Dad and I went to the store....a mini date I guess......

We needed to get ingredients for the girls to make cakes for the bake sale that we had during the Talent show......to raise money for our girls camp.

When we got home, Cassi got to work on her famous coconut chocolate cupcakes :)

Madi was babysitting for the Brewers, so I got her cake baked so it would be cooled off in time for her to decorate it.

The rest of the day was kind of a blur.

Dad left with Justin and the boys to take a load to the dump.

But they had problem after problem with the tires!!!!

So one of the tires popped.....and i had to go and pick them up.

I kept the boys here with me while Brent and Justin went to go get a new tire, replace it and then try to get to the dump.

Well, I should have Brent write down the story.

But like he said, if it could go wrong, it did.

They had so much trouble with every aspect of getting the tire, getting the tire on, then the other tire losing air, then breaking the valve on the new tire that was just replaced.

Poor boys.......Justin said they used up their allotted curse words :)

They got home just before I left for the church.

I went to get the rest set up and be there when girls started bringing cakes.

It was a fun night.

Porter had a fun drone routine....it didn't go quite a planned, but still fun.

The Edwards family came with us and the boys helped Porter with holding hula hoops and balloons.

It was fun :)

Then Cassi was the closing act and she sang her 'Ring of Fire' song.

She did great.

It was a fun night.....I hope we made a lot of money for girls camp with all the work we put in!!!!!!!

This is the art piece that I used for my talent to display....

It was super fun to make and I am excited to hang it in my house!

(yes, I know my door is not yet red in real life.....but it will be!)

YW cake silent auction