Because of Him, someday we get to hear this guys giggle, talk, watch him run and play and be amazed as he can see again.  Because of Him tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes on it...which every night I am very, very grateful for as I make plenty.  Happy Easter!


We had to be a little flexible with our Easter this year.  I swear that is becoming my mantra this year as nothing every is exactly as I would like it to go!  Saturday morning the girls and I dyed Easter eggs.  Saturday night Jason and Kelly's family came over for an awesome egg hunt and dinner while we watched the Women's Broadcast and then just hung out.  The girl cousins had their annual swap market for Easter candy where they negotiated and bribed each other to get their favorite candies.

Sunday kids woke up a little early to be ready for church so we could eat raspberry bread pudding, do Easter baskets and search for our decorated eggs.  We came back from church to make our egg salad sandwiches, eat some bunny chocolate and play with our new game.  Jeremy with a bad back and Taylor stayed home while the other three kids and I got to go up to Alpine on an Easter walk.  A guy decorated his farm with a few symbols of Christ.  You see a video, and then walk by some lambs, an alter, 3 crosses and then go into a tomb.  They had music playing at the different spots with scriptures posted.  It was very simple and very impactful.  They had signs asking everyone to whisper.  Spencer pointed out that all the little kids who came after us hadn't read the sign.  I reminded him of his childhood and said he can never complain of another kids' behavior, because he has done it all.


This week was our Utah Republican caucus.  I was an independent till several years ago when I realized that the Republican candidate won 90% of the time in Utah and if I didn't vote in the caucus I wouldn't have much of a voice in Utah government.  The meeting was as long as usual but at the end Jeremy got a wake up call when someone nominated him to be a County delegate.  They closed nominations and because there were only the minimum 6 delegated nominated we didn't have to vote.  I think after almost 3 hours everyone wanted to stop voting!  Jeremy hardly realized what was going on before it was official.  I think it will be a great experience for him and I am excited to learn through him about what is going on.


This week Robyn had battle of the books, that she has been reading for all week.  She won for her class time, and she was on the allstar team that competes against the teachers so she got to be in the school assembly.  Her team came in second for her grade but the allstar team beat the teachers so she was very psyched.  My favorite part is that she told me that after every round her team did a group hug.  Jeremy and I tried to be there for a few minutes of the assembly but she told us it started at 9 and it really started at 9:30.  So she got a big hug in the hallway and then was on her own.  Luckily I have a really nice neighbor who updated me with details and photos.


Robyn helped Jeremy take his computer to get fixed Saturday and Jeremy decided that deserved some JCW's.  Allison, Taylor and I meanwhile spent the afternoon painting sets for Peter Pan.  The girls are heading into their busy season of lots of practice and late nights.  They are still in the excited, not tired stage so we are mostly all smiles.  Allison got sunglasses in her Easter basket:

Spencer turned 17 this week.  Our original plan was to celebrate all day Saturday but Jeremy's uncle Duane died last weekend and the funeral was Saturday so we changed things around a bit.  Monday night Jeremy and Spencer did their annual carnivore birthday dinner at Tucanos.  (I still remember doing birthday dinners with my Dad and Jeremy has continued the tradition with our kids.).  Tuesday I thought after Spencer's late night he wouldn't appreciate being woken up at 6 with breakfast in bed.  I thought wrong as he was sad about not getting woken up till 7 with a breakfast burrito to eat on the way to school.  Learned my lesson.


Allison decorated Spencer's door for the day while Robyn made him a poster.  When I got home from work we hopped in the car to go bowling.  Then back home for cheese steaks (Spencer put my horse radish on for me and cleared out all my sinuses in the process).  Then Spencer grabbed his cake and ice cream and went to the church for YM.  Allison had a play event, I had YW, Robyn had activity days and Jeremy and Taylor had some quality time with cake, TV and a quiet house.  It was a great birthday.


Jeremy and Spencer left along with Jason and Garion early, early Saturday morning to drive up to Idaho Falls for the funeral and are on their way back this Sunday afternoon.  They spent a lot of time visiting family and also went for their first time to see BYU Idaho.  This year is the college visit year.  Jeremy said this photo is the "you will go to college" photo.


While the boys were gone the girls celebrated a first day of spring party.  Both girls invited a group of friends over to paint and plant pots, make muddy buddies, rabbits and pinwheels.  Then friends ended up just sort of hanging out for the day while I did homework and yard work.  Great way to usher in spring.


Thursday Robyn had her school's art and science fair.  Allison, Robyn and I got to go do the science experiments, listen to the recorder concert, their 5th grade live wax museum, and all the other games and activities.


Allison had her grand choir concert where all the musical groups at the junior high perform.  I was prepared for a painful hour and a half and instead it was amazing.  Especially when they had all the choirs sing along with the combined orchestras.  Robyn is now deciding between doing percussion (they have a steel drum class) or choir when she goes to junior high.

Spencer has his TSA competition on Wednesday.  He had to be at the school at 5:20 am!!  We only had two cars this week so that was a painful morning.  He competed in a technology problem contest and a technology information contest and really enjoyed doing both.  Came home at 8 tired and happy.

We keep having some warm afternoons and whenever possible I have been filling up our garbage can with leaves and weeds from the yard.  The kids have discovered that laying on a warm tramp in the spring is a great feeling.  Taylor is noticeably happier with the sun out.  School continues to plug on for us all.  There are now less than 50 school days left - not that I am counting.  Midterms are over so I am on the last month and a half of my semester.

This has always been my least favorite day of the year.  My body takes awhile to switch to the hour forward.  Luckily fate helped me out this year.  I got to get up early Saturday morning to meet Kelly at the temple and then Robyn and I worked on her science poster till our eyes were dead tired and we both went to sleep early without any problem.

Spencer, Allison and Jeremy were not so fortunate and were praising Sunday afternoon naps.  Spencer and Jeremy went up to watch a hockey game and support Allison whose choir sang the National Anthem.  They had a great time, especially Spencer, and got home in the wee hours of the morning.

Allison is in the front right

Monday was a day off of school.  We slept in, ate waffles and I got to run with friends outside before tackling my usual Monday chores.  No big plans but a day of enjoying sunshine outside and kids being slugs as much as possible.  It was awesome.


This week was Utah State's spring break which meant to classes and very little homework for me.  So I got to enjoy being home in the evening and catching up on some projects.  Like finishing the pillows for our bed:


and putting together Easter Baskets.  I love making these, I always feel like spring is coming.


Girls had their piano recital Friday night and then Allison did piano festival on Saturday.  They both did awesome, and walked away feeling like their hard work really paid off.

Biggest news of the week is that a friend of Jeremy's was getting rid of their tramp.  So it is now currently in our back yard and kids have been loving it.  Jeremy taught them how to do back flips.  After Allison biffed it hard one time Robyn hasn't quite got up the nerve yet to commit to doing a full back flip.

Taylor had his pine wood derby this week for special needs mutual.  I don't think he knew what was going on but he enjoyed all the cheering!  Our van has been in the shop this week, which means we have been taking Taylor everywhere in the truck and making him walk.  I have been really missing and appreciating our van as getting Taylor in and out of the truck takes some serious muscle.  For the piano recital Spencer hefted Taylor up in his arms and carried him through a parking lot, a store and down the stairs and then did it in reverse for me after.  I am really hoping our van is fixed soon.

 This week was definitely a week of indulgences.  Monday, Taylor and I had to be up in SLC for a doctor's appointment so we stopped in a Tai-Pan to get our Easter baskets.  Felt very guilty ducking out of school for the day and loved seeing all the spring decoration ideas.  That night Jeremy and I got to go get massages thanks to two gift cards he gave me at Christmas.  After his long weekend at the Expo Jeremy was sore and stiff and I was happy to be his date!

Friday night, Jeremy was taking photos for the Vocal Point 25th year reunion concert and arranged for us to go watch while he worked.  Robyn chose to go to a birthday party instead but the rest of us loved it.  Taylor even had his head up and was listening and smiling most of the time.  Allison just beamed when she learned that wheelchair seating was the front row!

Saturday night Jeremy and I got to go out on a fancy date thanks to a generous and thoughtful brother and sister-in-law.  We got to dress up, eat baby octopuses and fancy steaks and enjoy having a grown up night out.  It was awesome.  I told Jeremy after this week we better do peanut butter sandwiches and home videos to balance out the scales for awhile!

At Taylor's doctor's appointment we learned he is now 96 pounds and 5'2".  I think he would be much taller if his spine wasn't so crooked.  Lots to follow up on from that appointment such as getting his root canal finished in the hospital and figuring out with the gastro team what to do next.  We can't really address seizures when constipation messes things up.  Pun intended.

We have had a week of sunshine and warmth.  This means kids have gotten to run around outside and play every afternoon.  For some reason its easier to wake up and be happy when the sun is shining.  I started running outside again and have realized that the treadmill really doesn't keep me in the same shape.  Robyn has loved being reunited with the pack of neighbor kids and has been making fairy houses and getting dirty and happy most days.  Last year she spent the summer struggling and crying about how to ride a ripstick.  Now she just cruises around on it.

Spencer registered for senior year this week.  Much frustration and tears were involved plus he went in really early to school to meet with his counselor.  But he has it all worked out.  Not everything he wanted or all the teachers he likes but pretty good overall.  They register for high school here like college where you get online and you register yourself for every class.  Its like a big puzzle of moving parts.  This week I got to go with the priests and laurels to learn ballroom dancing.  I think Spencer really appreciated me giving him pointers and making sure he was being gentlemenly.  I could tell by the narrowed eyes he gave me every time I pantomimed holding a girls hand nicely.  This week Spencer also had his teen police academy graduation with the city council that Jeremy was able to join him for.  And he also had another ACT test and Jeremy nicely took him out for lunch after.  Throw in some work and he has stayed busy.

I think half the reason Spencer like these nacho is the name - Macho Nacho

Allison got to go visit the elementary schools this week and answer any questions about junior high.  She has really enjoyed being in PALS this year and helping out all the new kids and doing service projects.  This week I had to make some videos for class and Allison was our film director and Robyn was the star.  Allison and her friend Kaori went to spend Saturday at UVU at a science fair but it turned out to be a bust so instead they spent the morning exploring the campus.  And then Allison spent the afternoon and evening babysitting for a neighbor and then for us.  Not a super exciting Saturday night but she likes the down time periodically and is a good sport about it.  Plus which she loves the little girl she got to play with on Saturday afternoon.

 Trivia of life moves on.  Jeremy does photo shoots as he can.  Midterms were this week and are now over for me.  Arm healed up and started shots.  And I can see little green things starting to stick up their heads from the ground and I get to go play outside with kids at recess.  How could I ask for more?  (Well maybe the beach...definitely could ask for that...)

This week was Jeremy's work's big expo.  He has been spending so much time with this lately doing all the design work from maps and vendor bags, to billboards and ads.  So he was gone for the expo Thursday, Friday and Saturday, working hard and having fun.  He is tired out.

Spencer had a court of honor Sunday night where he got 3 palms.  And on Friday, Spencer had a priest overnight trip up to Park City that he loved.  Pizza, movies, arm wrestling and little sleep.  Came home and we drove down to the Expo where he worked lifting stuff and enjoying the booths till late.  He is tired out.  And he was on making dinner tonight...patience by his entire family was required and he made delicious pot stickers from scratch for us.


With Spencer and Jeremy gone for most of the weekend, Taylor got to put up with a bunch of girls.  We had girl cousins over for the weekend to play nonstop.  With sunshine outside they played in the backyard as much as they could.  Allison had several friends over for Friday night and then one friend joined us Saturday.  Taylor seemed to handle all the girlishness just fine.  Saturday we spent the afternoon playing at the expo followed by errands and cleaning the office culminating with toasted cheese sandwiches, popcorn and movies.  It was a good weekend.

Allison was proud that she beat Spencer on shooting targets again

Allison has been coming with me to a stake choir and on Saturday morning we had a Relief Society musical fireside that we sang in.  I was glad she was willing to let me beg her to come and get to sing besides her.  Those kind of opportunities are becoming few and precious it seems like. 

I had my first graded observation on my teaching this week.  It feels strange to teach knowing someone is counting how many times you praise academic versus behavior performance and how long you leave a pause between your prompt and your cues.  But I did fine, so I was glad to get that over with.  I seriously work with some of the kindest people I have ever met.  I don't think they know how to be critical!  My arm is healing pretty well.  I learned I have to start a series of shots because I wasn't producing anti-bodies for Heb B so I get to look forward to that this week.  At least I will be alone so kids won't know if I cry.  I always feel pressure when I get shots with the kids as they are in my face checking to see if I am brave or not.


Robyn's picture was in the Ensign this month which she was excited about.

For Valentine's Day we gave kids cute little cards and peanut butter cups.  Robyn made us all steak and tator tots - her choice for the ultimate meal.  When I say make I mean supervised as she had a terrible cough that still won't die so she is not allowed to touch any communal food.  We opened up the see's candy from my parents and Jeremy realizing that three were missing gave everyone an glare to find the culprit.  Till I said, "Did I mention this box arrived on Thursday?".  Allison is still giving me grief on my lack of self control.

Jeremy gave me the ultimate gift for Valentine's Day.  Spencer, Allison, Robyn and I stole away for the entire day to go skiing at Sundance along with Jason's family.  Jeremy handled Taylor at home.  We had a great time.  Maybe someday we will actually get ski outfits but for now our hodgepodge works.  Robyn was a bit apprehensive as she hasn't really skied before.  But she spent the morning doing a lesson and was better than me by a long shot by the end of the day.  I think it has to do with a lack of fear.  She couldn't understand why she had to wear a helmet but agreed to keep it on after seeing a few kids being taken down by the medics on the snow mobiles.


Spencer and Garion sort of disappeared for most of the day, having a great time snow boarding.  They convinced Kelly to take them to the back mountain and thought they were so cool.  I got to spend the morning with Allison, Jason and Kelly and the afternoon with Brynn and Robyn.  Tried hard to keep up and had an amazing time.


And then we came home happy and sore, I took the quickest shower ever and then with kids taking care of Taylor, Jeremy took me out to dinner and to a play I have been wanting to see called The Pirate Queen.  It was an amazing gift of a day!

Pretty normal week of school, work and all the kid activities till we got to Friday.  I had a kid at my job decide he wasn't happy with me and that I was a human chew toy.  So my arm got pretty hammered.  Worst part was trying to get him off as he had to be pulled off as he worked his way up my arm.  .  Luckily I was wearing a sweater and a shirt!  Everyone was way too nice to me which caused me to over react with tears from all the adrenaline.  And I had to go into workmed to get checked because he broke the skin.  So I had to get my blood tested to make sure I didn't get hepatitis etc.  Luckily I was current with all my shots.  Just have to go back in a few weeks to get tested again.  I told Jeremy what had happened and I came home to a piece of Kneaders cheesecake on the counter.  So of course I instantly felt much better.


And after the competition:


Then he got to come home, clean the office and go work at Chubby's.  A busy boy is a happy boy.

Jeremy has been busy working hard on work projects and side projects.  The outdoor expo is this upcoming weekend plus he has had some photo shoots.  Jasper appreciates when he takes a few moments to rest.

For Valentine's this year Robyn made a Harry Potter box.  The two girls and I spent Superbowl Sunday making cute little valentine's for everyone.  I am glad they enjoy it as when I asked Spencer if he needed any he just scoffed, "as if".  But he is happy to help eat all the candy and cookies!

I had parent teacher conferences for Robyn.  They say she is doing great and is good about being friends to everyone.  I hope so, because the stories she brings back about the recess drama makes it sound like a soap opera every day!  I laughed when I saw her New Year's Resolutions up on the board.  Glad to hear the words we say sink in!  "Not bleating and wait for them to come to me.  Exercise more.  Don't layoff on stuff and let them pile up and do them at the last moment.  Eat less junk."


My birthday was a little full so the next Saturday the girls and I took Jasper for an afternoon of girl errands.  They helped me pick out a new quilt for our bed which I love for my birthday present from my parents.  My old quilt is gorgeous and has been well loved for 11 years.  My mom sadly informed me that the rips and tears are beyond repair.  Although once we got back, they all pointed out that it doesn't match my room at all.  So I need to work on that next!  (The girls thought it was awesome that the quilt shop asked us to bring Jasper inside so they could play with him)   Combine the day with a trip to the Humane Society for shots for Jasper and to look at all the cute animals and a stock up trip to Trader Joe's and it was a great girls day.


We had a big snowstorm last week, the day of Mom's and Muffins at Robyn's school.  When we got there at 7 the snow plows hadn't arrived yet and I slid into a ditch.  Robyn and I enjoyed our muffin and Jeremy drove over and got me out of the ditch.  He did that after shoveling out the whole driveway and taking care of kids!

Taylor's special needs mutual did a road show performance that I got to go to.  They did an amazing job.   My favorite was some of the lines delivered in dead pan voices.  "I need more romance" "girl's you don't need any of that...You don't know you're beautiful" followed by the kid singing and dancing to the song with lots of enthusiasm.


Spencer continues with his police academy for teens event.  This week he got to be interviewed on the 10p.m news about it which he thought was very cool.  KSL Video  And they did paint ball live action scenarios of take downs which he thought was very cool.

Yesterday I got to take Spencer, Robyn and Taylor to the archery range.  They had a great time shooting arrows and trying out different bows.  Robyn got a bow for her birthday and has been anxious to try it out.


Allison's life seems to be pretty busy lately but happy.  She had her "We the people" competition up in SLC with her history class this week, which she has been preparing for.  They came in second, by one point.  She was a little ticked off about it!  She got to go snow shoeing as a peer tutor for a special needs student.  And we started planning out her schedule for next year as we meet with the counselor this week...for her freshman year!  She was debating whether to take drivers ed during next school year or wait for the summer.  We are not ready for that yet!  She has been doing lots of activities with her friends and just enjoying life.



Robyn has been fighting off a tickle in her throat.  I picked her up from a birthday party Friday night and she sounded terrible.  I am sure the mom was delighted I let her come to her daughter's birthday party!  So she has been staying in bed hoping to get better quickly.

Best part of last week is that my dad came to visit for Roots Tech.  We only were able to see each other at night as we were all gone during the day but had a great time just hanging out.  And he took the kids for milk shakes at JCWs which is always a favorite.

Jeremy has been busy working on getting stuff for the upcoming expo for work.  He did teach a cool photo class with ballet dancers and long exposures which he enjoyed.  He tries to fit in as much photo stuff as he can with everything else going on.

School is going well for me and I seem to have the routine down.  The person in this area who is in the program with me dropped out this week so now my 5 1/2 hours on Wednesday night is just me alone in a room with a video screen without someone to talk to.  Feels a little lonely!  I had my first observation of me teaching in my practicum.  It went well although I have to work on doing specific and academic praise, I am too general in how I praise.  I met my observer though for the first time who ends up being a teacher of Taylor's from when he was 7!  Small world.

We haven't had any good storms for the last week and our inversion has built up to the worst I have seen it.  I am hoping it clears out soon.  Right now kids aren't allowed to go outside at recess and it looks like everything is draped in fog.  Good thing I have a book, chocolate and a fire!