More fun with the 4th of July weekend. We celebrated with good friends too. The Makely's from church invited us over and we had so much fun hanging out! The Sharps also from church had a get together at their home/land and we socialized forever. It was so much fun getting to be with friends this weekend as well. . It was good times and good food.

happy birthday mom

We had a great time celebrating mom's  birthday this year. How come summer days seem to go so fast?

Mom and Adrian's family all came to our ward for church. It was so fun to have them all around.  We ate until we almost popped!  Of course mom wanted fruit instead of cake so we had both! Fruit for her and cake for all the rest!!! It was a good day of celebration. It was good to be together.

Youth Conference

Blake and Andrew are at youth conference with 800 other LDS youth celebrating, learning, and having a blast.  This is not only Andrew's first youth conference but also his first youth dance.  I bet it's a site to see..I'd sure like to be a fly on the wall!  And although there are days I want to pull their hair out I sure love being their mom. I hope they are not only having tons of fun but I hope they are ceasing the moment and gaining the spiritual strength to get them through any rough days that might be ahead.

June Updates! (warning-Long post!)

The past few weeks of June have gone so fast. Seriously, I don't know how it became June 18-I loaded tons of pictures and had so many more but ran out of energy and am eager to get this done.
With Blake doing two summer sport trainings(-football and wrestling) for high school and Andrew doing one (wrestling) we are in the car a lot as well as many more fun things. Needless to say this is my last summer of driving the boys 30 minutes one way to a practice and will be ever so happy when Blake can drive this fall to take some of the burden of driving them around...so I am trying to embrace it and really enjoy the extra few minutes we have driving together as I hold my nose to the stink of sweat!!

Wrestling camp was awesome this year. They were able to be trained by an amazing coach, Wade Schalles. While the boys wrestled their hearts out the girls had their Hale cousins little girls up for Aunt Gretchen camp. We had so much fun swimming, crafting and sleeping in.
Next my brother, Uncle A. invited my boys up with his scout group on an amazing scout camp. They will go their regular camp soon but Adrian always plans these really neat high adventure scout camps.
They canoed all week 50 miles.  They came home today with another nice odor and many many stories and memories. I can't thank my brother enough for putting up with them and teaching them all his amazing skills. I feel so grateful.
While the boys were at scout camp with Uncle A. The girls went to Aunt Cynthia camp. They are still talking about it.  They not only did crafts but got to go out to eat and to the movies...lucky girls.
My niece, Lucy,  my mom and I took on the task of cleaning out her garage while we had some time without the kids. It was hard work and very hot but it felt so good to be finished. We also visited my sweet Granny and tried to start working on buying my Dad's tombstone. I came home for part of the week had a photo shoot and went out with my hub. We actually went on three dates in one week! WHOA.

If you haven't clicked off by now. I tried to load some pictures of all the fun but they wouldn't load in order and I lost my patience trying to get them just right so here they are!

Taking a break from paddling

Blake and Harrison
My crazy brotherWilliam and AlexanderAndrew and Bryce
Blake and HarrisonDate night with the honeyleaving for the tripAunt Gretchen CampVisit with Granny and cousins Michael and Lane

oops..andrew downuncle A. Giving instruction. I love this picture!

Aunt Cynthia camp

Wrestling camp

Wrestling coach and amazing leader Wade Schalles.

having fun on the playgroundmore Aunt Gretchen campMax's first sleep overAndrew and williamgoing for a swim

Also I took my first praxis 2 last Saturday. It takes 3 weeks to get the score. If I fail at least now I know more how to study. I have to take a total of 4 this summer and fall. I am scheduled for two more July 24. It's so nice to not be in school right now but I'll be so happy to pass the all the test!

Whew this post took forever! That's why it's better to do it a little at a time...hard to catch up!

2nd grade picture

Can't believe my youngest child is going into the third grade!  This is her 2nd grade photo. I never buy school pictures cause I can take them myself but I loved this one so I bought the copyright.
My little sweet girl lookin like her nana!  She is such a easy child to parent now that she's older but she was by far the hardest toddler I ever encountered!  She loves to play alone-entertain herself. She loves board games and riding her bike. She loves swimming, running, climbing, playing with stuffed animals and anything artsy! She loves to sleep late and hang out with her family. She has the biggest imagination more than any of my other children. She is such a little sunshine!

Little stinkers

Friday foto

wishin I was here!  Summer 2009 Leah and Clayton collecting seashells! 

the smell and taste of home

The smell of brownies and red jello take me  back to home any time I taste, see or smell one of the two! Many times as I was growing up after FHE the dessert was brownies and red jello. Nothing too fancy or expensive-I'm sure the cost of brownies and red jello fit in great with my parents school teacher budget!

Steve's smell, taste and food from home aroma is rice and tomatoes or grits and eggs.  This was something his family had on a regular basis. I am sure my mom never intended on brownies and red jello being my taste of home since she is such a health nut. Of all the things we had I wonder why I loved the brownies and red jello nights so much. Maybe it was our only "junk" and I love junk.  Who knows but I discovered this taste of home when I was away at college. One day my roommates happened to make brownies and red jello and I went crazy. Being 30 hours away from home the first time in my life-I loved anything that reminded me of home!    So do I make a tradition and make a weekly "something"  or do I just let each child determine when they are grown that a certain food or smell is their taste of home?

shouting out!

Straight A's this semester!!! And I had a math methods class so that is really a big deal to me!  Although an easy task for my children I am more of a B student-I feel like I just got a pay check except I'm broke!!!

whoot whoo! whoot who!

Locks of Love

Caroline has been growing her hair out to donate to locks of love! Yesterday was finally the big day. She had just enough to make the donation of 10 inches.

What the day brought

I finished school yesterday it was sweet and bitter! I almost felt guilty for wanting to be happy. One of my favorite things to do when I finished a semester was call my Dad. He was not a big phone person so we would talk all of 1.5 minutes. It would go something like this-
Me-Hey Dad-I just finished my last final today.
Dad-ALRIGHT
Me-I'm so excited-where are you?
Dad-watching Price is right just got back from McDonald's! What are you going to do now?
Me-Scream
Dad-Why don't you go turn some cartwheels in a green grassy field!!!
Me-Yeah
Dad-Good job honey-I knew you could do it. Your smart like your mama!!!

Sounds silly but it just wasn't the same.
Yesterday would have been my parents 43rd anniversary.
and yesterday my mom's brother (my uncle) passed away age 58. He had a heart attack last week.

As our family faces the sadness and emptiness of death I am grateful to know that families are forever and that we will be together with our family again. All that I have known has been tested in the last 2 1/2 months of my life and as I have searched and prayed I have found only more truth to the teachings that I have always known to be true. I am so blessed to have all that I do.


 

One week from today

In exactly one week I will be done with classes!  Finals will be over next Monday by 4:00...I'm so ready for a break and to start getting hyped up for student teaching.
I'm almost there...almost there....almost there...almost there!

Family update:

Grandma got out of the hospital Saturday. We were so glad. We can all start to get back to normal! If there is  a normal here.
Andrew gets back from Dallas trip tonight.. We've missed our boy.
Blake just got his Star in Scouts-six months from now he'll be a Life!
Andrew just got his first class-so glad we are finally moving on with this scouting stuff.
I survived another Aux. training meeting and so glad I have good helpers.
I just finished two preschool shoots. It is always nice when it's over but it kills me while I'm doing it.
Steve is slammed with work since he took time off with his mama so we won't see him for the next two weeks.
We are saving for a car since we will have another driver in the house in 7 months...I can't wait.
Track and football spring are about to overlap for Blake which means a crazy busy boy that is trying to work in between his already crazy life! 
Leah Beth and Caroline are counting the days for me to be done with school so we can take a ditch day!
I can't wait to lay in my bed for a whole week after this and I'm so glad I took summer classes last year so I am almost free now!

Updates on mom's blog

Mom updated her blog. It is perfect...it's beautiful....it's amazing...it's long but well worth the read..take some time and ..grab some popcorn and click on over. http://www.artschangeofheart.blogspot.com/

Loving your work!

Today was my last "lead" teach day in my practicum class. Although I still have finals, portfolios, papers to write, and much to do I feel like I'm on a down hill slide. I found myself in a very ungrateful mood this afternoon as I headed back to night class calling on Heather once again to help with the kids my mother's guilt was looming.
I opened my scriptures tonight and read this quote that was stuck in there....
President David O'McKay counseled: "Learn to like your work. Learn to say, 'This is my work, my glory, not my doom.' God has blessed us with the privilege of working. When he said, 'Earn thy bread by the sweat of thy brow,'he gave us a blessing. Men and women have accepted it.  Too much leisure is dangerous. Work is a divine gift." 
This is just what I needed to read and reread. It has given me the boost to be in a better mood with the fam. and enjoy these last 11 days of school this semester as I realize this is my season for mom and school to enjoy it and stop feeling so guilty all the time for not doing this or that!

Grandma update

Grandma Janice came out of surgery yesterday. Our sweet niece spent the night with her but had to return home to her family today. We miss her already. Steve has moved into the hospital room and hasn't really left his mom's side too much.  His mom is recovering but weak right now. It will take her a couple of days to eat solids again and then recover. Hopefully she'll be able to get out of the hospital next week some time. His brother Bill will get here soon and his sister will be back on Sunday. His younger brother comes right after work every day. One thing about the Solomon's is they all help each other and really stick together.
I have 12 days of school left. I have two more "teach" days in practicums and then just finish up. Thank goodness for Heather who has helped so much with transporting my children through all this. I am going to miss her so much. I am preparing for our big aux. training coming up next week. The bad is I have to miss class to go...the good is I have to miss class to go!  I am so glad I have good helpers who are digging in because I have pretty much lost it spiritually and  in every aspect of my life!

Leah Beth got a new sub this week that finally took over when her teacher left to have and recover from her baby.  She loves her new teacher. She's preparing a new cheer/rap for t-cap. "I'ma be... Ima be...gettin lots of rest. I'ma be acing that test...what!
Caroline is saving her money to get her ear's pierced and nails done...girly girl!
Blake and Andrew are back at work at the park keeping score.
Andrew is getting ready for his big 8th grade school trip to Dallas!
Blake has moved from wrestling to track. He's loving it.

I got a beautiful plant delivered by some sweet girls from college in memory of my sweet dad. It was such a shock to come home and see that big box. It made me smile.  I love it. I am so blessed to have such wonderful people around me boosting me along all the time. The Lord really knows when you need good people in your life!

Say it isn't so!

Steve got a phone call Friday on his way to take the seminary kids to school from Grandma Janice's principle that she was really sick and that he needed to go pick her up. He was half way to school about 25 minutes from Grandma's work so he called me. I was taking the other kids to school and headed to my school. I quickly tried to hurry and re route then we were able to reach his younger brother. They took her mom to the hospital where she was admitted. She is having some stomach problems.  She will be having surgery either Monday or Tuesday. I spent the afternoon with my SIL, niece (the nurse one), brother in law and great nephew at the hospital-the others will be coming soon. I wish she had her spouse with her.
I hated being in that hospital it just brought back way to many feelings from Dad. I am absolutely a freaking basket case!  Not crying and carrying on....I am so mad!  I did ok there but now that everything has settled down the rage inside of me in insane!  I can't believe the crazy stuff that goes on at hospitals and the poor patients are at the mercy of  everyone I could probably go on for 20 blog pages but I will try and contain myself.  Grandma Janice is pretty amazing and tough.We love her. Leah Beth has been with her all day. I am so glad. She's our little nurse.  After I got home from the hospital I was in my room doing some homework. Andrew cooked dinner. I heard him call Ethan (our 3 year old nephew) to the table to eat. He ask Ethan to say the prayer and not to forget to pray for Grandma. The sweetest thing ever to hear your 14 year old son teaching his little cousin the words to say in a prayer. What a good moment to help settle all my rage!

Caroline's Hero!

In Caroline's second grade class they have a unit to study heroes. It is so neat. They pick community and national heroes like presidents or famous people and research them. They dress up like them and tell all about the hero. The next week the students pick their own personal hero. Caroline picked her Nana for her hero.
The class invited their heroes to a luncheon and honored them with a video, lunch and hand drawn art.
Caroline said in her video: my Nana is just like me and I become more and more like her every day.
I feel that she loves me.
My sister and I spent a weekend with her and we got spoiled.

I love her.

In honor

Steve's work gave us my favorite tree "weeping willow" in honor of my Dad last week. And we had a great planting crew!  We found a perfect place for it on the land!  I love it!