Party Time

 We've had a busy week with lots of fun stuff going on and two of the kids leaving on trips.  

On Wednesday, Eileen headed out to Texas.  She flew down and I even got her to send me pictures (mostly of her little crochet creation)  But she had a great trip and is enjoying herself with Grandma and Grandpa.  Grandpa will soon take off for Scotland with Sandi, but for now, Eileen is enjoying that she gets to see him too!   

Wednesday night was the kids band concert - they did amazing and it's been a great, and sometimes crazy ride for Anna.  

Grandpa took Eileen to the zoo on Thursday.  They had a great time together.  Eileen had been looking forward to this part of the trip for awhile and it did not disappoint!  

Thursday morning, I got a text from one of the ladies that I work with saying that parking was kinda crazy, and for that matter, they had 5 guards already, so I didn't have to come if I wanted.  So i got an unexpected day off.  Then on Friday, the pool was closed for maintinence issues, so no work again!  

Saturday morning - REALLY EARLY, Evelyn had to be at the airport to go with marching band to Disneyland.  Dan drove her and Sophie and then came home to get a bit more sleep.  I told her before I left to send me pictures - but it took some reminders to get her to send them.  They had fun at Medieval Times and she's been having a blast with her friends!  

Saturday morning, Dan took James and Anna to go shooting with some friends in the ward.  They had a great time - even James who was reluctant to go at first.  

Aaron went hiking with his friend Luke.  The weather was perfect for it - overcast, but not rainy or cold.  They had a great time and got to see some incredible views!! 

I took David and went to Parkrose.  I let him get in with me during the warm up and we played together a bit, then once we started shooting, he got out and played on an old game boy and cheered for me while I played!  He was so cute!  And I had lots of fun! 

Saturday afternoon we had Dan's surprise birthday party.  We had a great turnout.  Lots of friends and lots of food and lots of fun!  I talked with Lynnie (who's son Seth is Evie's friend and with her and the band at Disneyland) and I mentioned how Evie hadn't sent me any photos yet and she forwarded one to me.  So I teased Evie that I got my first picture of her trip from someone else!  After, she has done a better job of sending me photos.  After, we did a quick clean up and did scriptures before getting David to bed and then Anna and I headed to Open Polo.  

Sunday, the ward choir sang in church and did a great job!  I spent some time texting with Evie about how her trip was going.  We talked about Disneyland and some of the rides she was going on.  She went on her first ever real roller coaster and they went on Pirates of the Caribbean.  I'm glad she is having a great time and I'm glad she has such good friends!

In the afternoon, we went on a nature walk since weather was beautiful and perfect for being outside.  Then we had some friends over for dinner.  They had had something break that led to flooding in their house, so we asked them to come eat with us so they wouldn't have to worry about cooking and food.  Then in the evening, we had another friend from the ward over to play Wingspan.  

Birthday Boy

We've had a week of beautiful weather where we mostly just want to play outside and enjoy being outside!  Track is officially over - on Tuesday they had the end of season banquet.  Evelyn did such a great job this year and it's been awesome to watch her work hard and grow! 

She and Aaron have also been enjoying water polo.  I got to go down and scrimmage with the girls on Friday.  It was a lot of fun, but also tiring since I'd already swam that morning and then I also went and worked out with Elizabeth.  It was a great work out, but I could already tell I was going to be sore!  

Anna has been busy with friends and work and school and music.  It's crazy to think that her senior year is almost over - she (like Eileen) hasn't really wanted any of the pomp that goes with graduating, so it's been pretty laid back, but she seems to be enjoying her senior year! 

Friday night was Father/Son campout - Dan took David and Aaron (James wasn't interested) and tried to go on an overnight campout.... unfortunatly (for the boys - fortunatly for him....) he got lost.  Found himself down a dirt road with a HUGE ditch in the middle of it and finally gave up and came home.  David was super disappointed, so Dan let him invite Paxton over to sleep in a tent in the back yard.  That lasted about 20 minutes before they decided the frog was too loud and came inside.  That lasted another 20 minutes before Paxton decided he was homesick and wanted to go home.  David was disappointed again, but after that he was finally able to get to bed.  

Saturday, I got up early to swim, then came home and did some cleanup around the house before heading to Parkrose to play water polo.  Dan and the kids didn't make it this time, Dan and Aaron had to go to Brother Hank's house to help out and Anna didn't want to get up. :)  It was fun, but part way through, I was out of the pool collecting balls, and on my way back, I tripped over the back of the cage and fell hitting my hip pretty hard.  I finished the scrimmage, but didn't play very well after that.  After, I stopped by 7-11 to grab some painkillers, then hung out with the others at Level Beer for a bit before heading home.  

I took Aaron and Anna to open polo in the evening, and my hip was still hurting some, so I didn't play very well and ended up reffing for the last 20 min or so since I was not much use in the pool anyway.  

David has been having fun building cars with legos,  He has made a camper and a van like our van and wanted me to take a picture of all sides of the camper - I said he had to be in at least one of them :)  

Sunday was Dan's birthday.  We did french toast for breakfast, then headed to church.  It was great!  Primary went well!  Choir was very low on numbers, but there were people out of town.  

For dinner Dan chose biscuits and gravy and for his cake, we did an angel food cake.  It was yummy and fun.  He's decided that he wants to get certified to jump out of planes, so next month he's doing a class!  

Finally Feels like Spring... or maybe summer....

We've gone from days in the 40's and 50's to days in the 80's and it's finally feeling like late spring/early summer!  

Tuesday, we went up to the Shum's house to help them get their dirt into their grow boxes in their back yard.  The boys, shoveled, Dan and Richard pushed wheelbarrows and Melonie and I raked the dirt into place.  We got a bunch done, then Dan went back on Wednesday with Aaron to finish the job up.  James and David had so much fun that they were diappointed that they didn't get to go back.   

Wednesday was the girls camp kick off.  I took Evelyn (Anna had gone early for YCL stuff) and we had fun, then I left for Water Polo and she got a ride home with a friend.  Anna came to water polo with me, but the Thills high school coach pitched a fit about her playing with the Master's group, so after playing for a bit, she just went and swam laps.  

Koopa got groomed Thursday morning and is now all trimmed up and ready for the hot weather!  

Friday evening, Dan and I went to see Fall Guy.  It was great and we had a fun time watching the movie.  

Saturday morning, I went to the swim practice and got home and got distracted cleaning house.  James when he got up was all excited to help out and did a great job helping clean up!  David was less enthusiastic....  lol  Then, we borrowed a carpet cleaner to clean the carpets.  It had needed it anyway, but especially after having Popcorn here for a week.  It's all looking and smelling much nicer now!  I took Aaron and went to Parkrose for water polo - we had fun, but numbers were low.  Aaron had a couple great shots and I had a few great blocks!  

Anna spent most of her day down at the State Band competition.  They took 2nd place!!  She didn't get back until midnight and she got back earlier since she was with a parent driver - one of the buses broke down and the kids on that bus got back even later!  Between that and an early morning at work - she was gassed on Sunday!

In the afternoon, Dan took some of the kids swimming.  I stayed home and made cupcakes.  I took the cupcakes to Open Polo in the evening.  We had fun at open polo.  Chris' girlfriend Hunter got in and played with us and she did a great job!  We didn't really have any subs, but we had enough to play and had a great time!  Everyone loved the cupcakes!  

Sunday was Mother's Day.  We had a great time chatting with our moms.  We had a great church - great talks and music and some fun treats for the women!  They had chocolate covered strawberries in RS - but since i wasn't in RS and Eileen was and knows how much i love chocolate covered strawberries - she grabbed some for me!  In the morning, Dan made heart shaped biscuits and made me a candy boquet!  David gave me a cute little gift bag full of stuff he made or wanted to give me.  In the evening, Sandi and James came over to play games and we played Jamacia.  Aaron won, but Sandi was a close second.  I wasn't a close anything..... :) 

Zoo Trips and Concerts

On Wednesday I went on David's field trip with him to the zoo.  We had a blast together checking out all the animals and hanging out with friends!  

We loved the animals and the activities and the weather was good - we got to go on one of the only not-rainy days all week!  
 

Friday was Evelyn's last track meet - she went to JV Districs and got a PR by jumping 7' And she did it in the rain!  She placed 5th overall and she is amazing!!  

After Evie's meet, we headed home and Anna, Aaron and I went down to Newberg for scrimmages.  It was a lot of fun - but there were no subs, so I was dying!!!  lol  

Saturday morning, Dan took some of the kids to go help the Ogden's with packing and moving.  They did a great job and with all the help, things were done quickly.  After, Dan, Anna, Aaron and I headed out to Parkrose for water polo.  We had fun and there was a good turnout.  

Dan and I went out for dinner and to have some fun wandering around the mall on a little date and got home in time to see the kids off.  

In the evening, Aaron and Anna both went to the Spring Formal church dance.  They both went with friends and had fun. Anna did get her dress done, and while there were some hiccups with it, it came out great and she did an amazing job!  

In the evening, I went to open polo with Evelyn and we had fun (I think it has Evelyn really looking forward to summer water polo)  We started out with 6 on 6 and a couple subs, but ended up just 5 on 5 and no subs.  But we had fun!  

Sunday was church, it was great!  Fast and Testimony meeting was wonderful, then I finally got to be in primary - between travel and holidays and conferences, it had been a long time.