Fourth at Home

It has been a while since we have celebrated Fourth of July at home. It was a great weekend leading up to it being a tour guide for my sister and Kieran who were visiting. We showed them folsom, the Temple, the outlets, mall, Old Town Sac, and many different restaurants, parks and places to eat. On Sunday, we had them all over for a yummy meal and we watched the Sun City aerial fireworks in Rah Rah's backyard. It was different without them and we missed that group. It was nice to have a place to watch them and the kids did great being happy and excited with their glow in the dark bracelets.

 Today we took a beautiful car ride around he owns nearby. There were rolling hill and greenery everywhere and great vistas. We truly live in a beautiful area. Joseph and Kieran went to Coloma with the grandparents and went to a movie. We swam and had a bbq at their house then had our own firecracker show. We bought a family pack of fireworks to support Spencer's school and it turned out to be pretty fun. Independence day is a great holiday and I'm glad we could rest and Brian had the day off. We cleaned the garage a little and enjoyed the day. We are so blessed to have our freedom, our religion, and our family.

Things Change and So Do We.

Life is about seasons. Years, grades in school, education. child bearing. child rearing. retirement. Season of health, seasons of sickness. Happiness, accomplishment, heartache and sorrow. No season stays. This life is temporary and so are most things in it. I'm grateful to have memories and to have made good ones.

I was in the temple the last few months and have felt peace. Family relationships matter and God is a constant we can rely on. Hopefully, and happily our best friends in life help us to bear the hard times and celebrate the great ones. He is our rock though and we can stand in perilous times because of the comfort he brings. I really believe it. We can live again with our families. There Is life after death and it may be different than here... More simple and more majestic and beautiful. More clean and organized. What a place to rest. I can feel heaven on earth sometimes with my family. I can feel it in serene gardens and quiet moments of reflection and prayer. I can feel it in moments of gratitude and service.

I am grateful for those who have gone before me and tread this path in harder times with less convenience and support. When I was young I took for granted my health and energy, comfort and routine. I'm sure I do now also to some extent, but I am seeing that places we love change, vacation spots every year end, water is plentiful followed by drought then water again. Enduring to the end with peace of mind is a true task of life. I feel happy and even though there have been a lot of changes around here lately. It is okay. new experiences and opportunities and blessings are plentiful and are making life more joyous.

Joseph got to go boating for the first time. It looks fun and he loves the water. Emmy is off enjoying waterfall visits in Idaho(jealous) and getting a few new hair colors. I went to an Annual Bunco pool party with the ladies and it was a great time, so relaxing. I was remembering the book group I used to go to for many years. It is not disbanded, but would not be the same with out Angie who is moving to Brazil with her family to do church service. It is so inspirational, her faith to change. My folks moved out of L.A. so trips to there aren't as often. I  like our new places to go visit instead like Mendocino and Monterey. Who knows we might even visit Oregon now. Life can be good even if it isn't as it once was. The fond memories become more important and bright and make up the fabric of who we are. I want to be in the moment now and love every minute of it as it may change.

Joseph is getting glasses. We are eating outside the car again since I have tan leather interior on my new car that I'd like to keep clean. My dad is turning 70 this next month, and Celia is turning into a little preteen with Liberty labs(math week of summer school) and Camptastic. Joseph is doing well in summer school and has summer reading for  advanced classes coming up his sophomore year. Also, We are prepping Joseph to drive. It is all weird and different, but good! I can't wait to see what the next twenty years bring!

Finally

So it is the last day of school. Why am I not sighing in relief. I believe it is over , I think. There will be some summer math makeup, but this year has stressed me out! I'm not even the one in school, but the pressure on the children was definitely felt by me and I tried to help and guide them to success.

Spencer will start extended school year on Monday. Maybe that's why it doesn't feel like summer. Spence and I have a good time together and I have been taking him more places lately. He went to a farewell luncheon with me for two of my friends moving out of state, he has spent some time swimming at grandma's and shopping with me for cars! The boys were in Utah for EFy and game playing, but now they are back and we are enjoying our weekly routines of date night and hanging out at home together. We got a new car 2016 Passat and it makes me happy to see how clean it is and to drive it is relaxing. I love that it has hands free technology for my phone and that we really found a car that is a compromise of something light and beautiful for me yet familiar for the boys.

I bought the car at night and brought it to the dealer the next day to have it detailed. They didn't want me just sitting there bored so they offered me a shuttle to the mall. It was so nice going alone to the mall, browsing the half yearly sales and just relaxing. I haven't used much respite this time when Spence has been out of school for two weeks. I interview a new respite worker on Friday and maybe we can get something going there.  At the mall, I browsed my favorite stores and started to feel a sense of gratefulness. I have all that I need and want. I am so blessed with a great family and life. I think I have been too busy to really stop and look at all the blessing in my life and appreciate them, and really acknowledge the goodness of God, My husband, My children, extended family, and the blessings of health.  There are always hiccups and stressors, but the blessings are so much greater.My feeling grateful for them only comes when I look and know they are there. I love exercising with my friend Laurie most weekdays,.. I love our yoga day and the days we walk in nature. I love that Bri and I go out to dinner and that we still save and try to be frugal. My family members are characters and they are so loving to me. I got a letter from Emmy this week that was payoff. How wonderful to have a grown child love and express appreciation for me through a letter home. I try to be the heart of the home and serve others and keep everyone happy. It is difficult, but so great to reap the rewards and blessings of my effort. I'm sure I will have a lot of feelings of "finally" as we pass through more milestones and overcome more hurdles, but what a great ride it will be.

My Little Girl

 Celia has had a lot of fun lately. End of the year activities are usually stressful, but this year went  better than last. She was in the fourth grade music performance and the talent show. Some miscommunication happened and I may of bought her a dress at costco in between performances so that she was not the only girl in uniform.  I enjoyed her singing and Celia presented her part well despite being somewhat frustrated about the mic being shoved in her face during their play/skit. Live and learn. I figured I am happy if she is happy and she was. The audience was so kind to every entry of the talent show and there were so many different types including ventriloquism and baton twirling.
Celia got to go to a Toys R Us swapkins event. She brought her doubles and traded them for shopkins she didn't have with girls her age. She got her exclusive item( Golden Cookie Cookie) and it was such a cute little event. Celia hoped to find more collectors like her and she did!

The heritage fair was like an open house and my folks came and watched Spencer so we could attend. It was hot and celia took advantage of the coloma booth that had a miners shower to get cool. We picked up Joseph's yearbook for him since he was at EFY and I think the school is growing on me. The staff and families really are nice. The load is a lot, but I think the kids can learn a lot and do well..

We Love Spending Time Together.

The weather has been hot then cool then back again. We have enjoyed rain and we have swam at the grandparents and had yummy barbecue over there. I love to drive home after a car ride or visiting the grandparents and see a beautiful sunset. The grandparents have really beautified their yard this spring. My dad is learning about all the plants he has in his yard and ones he sees on his bike rides. It has become a little hobby for him,

Celia and I learned about trains at her Railroad museum field trip in Old Sacramento. I enjoyed the kids i had during the field trip. Our wiggle girl(not Celia) ran away once, but I am use to that kind of behavior and we made it through an it went well. At the end of the day we visited candy heaven then were led to a little school house which was kind of an interactive school day from the 1850's. I loved how much it reminded me of my new favorite show, "When calls the Heart. I loved how polite the children had to be and even what they were learning. Training children up back in the olden days seemed easier, as least getting them to have respect. I'm glad I am a part of my children's goings on and they are all learning and growing up. We hear from Emmy often. She has been having quite the adventures at school in Idaho. She has been four wheeling in a jeep( yikes), she's done karaoke and seen concerts and it meeting new people in her classes and apartment. She has learned to cook bacon so it doesn't set off the alarm and she is achieving straight A's in order to have her car at school next semester. 

Learning their currency or what rewards they will work for has made a great difference in our relationships. They will do what is best and please the parents, if it is what they want. I've found Joseph loves having his friends over. Celia love shopkins and Animal Jam. Spence loves quesadillas, Popsicles, car rides and our relationship being on good terms. Oh, and routines too. Our routines have changed dramatically with Brian going to work at a new place at a new time with a new car amongst many other things. We will get things in routine again then teach him to cope with changes. I love our family and the time we spend together.

May so far.

Mother's Day went pretty well. My family shows appreciation to me throughout the year so I don't need a big ta do on the day. I still cook food and do my motherly duties, but there are a lot more homemade cards involved and lots of hugs and kisses. Spencer made me a cute bird feeder at school and my mom sent me to the salon to get my hair done. I got beautiful flower pajamas from Briand and a washer dryer. I may have overdone it getting ready for my new washer dryer to come. I realized cleaning the house all day and doing many loads of laundry in barefeet wasn't exactly the kind of support my feet needed. Luckily My feet are feeling much better now and a trip to my favorite shoes store, Clarks, was a great success. Celia and I had a lovely mother daughter time at the church playing games, painting nails, and eating the treats they had prepared. I got a package form Emmy with my very own BYUI sweatshirt inside. It was pink so Joseph wouldn't try and wear it because my sweats seemed to get stolen by him.  Emmy s off at school and doing a lot of homework and getting in the groove of college life again. We miss her, but I know I will see her before we know it with this three track system.

We have had a lot of change around here with brian changing jobs. He got a new car which is nice. We've reduced tutoring down quite a bit. Spence and I have taken the change of routine a little hard, but things are settling in and I'm enjoying driving a car a little more than a minivan these days and are grateful for the support from my parents as we end the school year and try to keep all the appointments and tasks we have to get done. We have shared nice meals with them and my Dad went on a father son campout with Brian and Joseph. I'm glad to have them in town. It is too good to be true and I worry as they age and have little health problems here and there, but am glad we are able to spend so much time together.

I was able to go to the temple last week with some girlfriends. I felt an overwhelming feeling that family and relationships matter most. That is what we take with us into the next life. I want to be near my family and support them and have them bring me the joy they do. I feel so grateful for the happy times in our life. I love date night and family outings. We went out for ice cream yesterday and we do pretty well together. No fighting, just enjoying each other's company. I'm sure the ice cream helped. I've been teaching the little boys in the ward through cub scouts and primary. They are so cute and energetic and so malleable. Its nice to have young ones around, but it can be stressful too. I am trying to find balance in my exercise, food, ward callings, and rest. Life can be so fast. I am trying to relax and slow down during turbulent times and have faith through it all.

Spence's 18th Birthday

Spencer came off the van from school with all smiles. He had celebrated there and had cupcakes. My folks and Brian's folks came over for dinner to celebrate Spence. We had fajitas and yummy guacamole rah rah brought. It was nice to be together talking and enjoying the beautiful weather in the backyard. Spencer didn't mind getting clothes, and he loved all the little toys he got. The cake was extra yummy, red velvet custard with whipped cream frosting. He did so well blowing out all the candles. I'm still in denial how the time has flown by and how big he is. I'm glad he has been celebrated most of the month already with day trips(in the car) and dinner dates with Brian and I.The Quorum leaders and priests came over to visit him and bring him popsicles. Spencer is so loved. Serving him helps my love for him intensify. That love makes me grateful to be a mother, his mother, and I hope to help him all my life and us both to grow and have joy from it.