This is What Happens When a 3 Year Old Dresses Himself

Nate tried to put his shorts on by himself. It didn't quite work. He got both legs in the same opening, and this was the result.

Labor Day

We spent Labor Day this year doing yard work. We pruned all of the bushes in our yard. That's a job that is usually saved for me to do by myself while Scott spends a month in Alaska. But this year, Scott decided to push it up a bit and do it while he was still home so he could help me. We got the kids involved and worked all day long (we have a LOT of bushes). (Savannah and Sara grabbed the camera and documented the day).










To reward the kids for working, Scott took the kids to the swimming pool that evening (I stayed home with Owen and cleaned up inside). All in all, not the most exciting way to spend a holiday, but I'm so thankful that it's all done.

Grandma Sorensen's Funeral

This past weekend was both horrible and wonderful. Horrible because I was so sick the entire weekend, and I was by myself with 6 kids, and my husband was off in beautiful Sun Valley while I was on my own with 6 kids. And wonderful because I got to see so much family and my Grandma's funeral was beautiful.

On Friday I spent the entire day getting packed and everything ready to go. I went to Sara's school at 3:15 to take birthday treats for her class (donuts). The little boys and I stayed till the end of school at 3:45, and then got the older three kids and headed to Aberdeen straight from school. The kids were really good on the drive. We stopped at a rest stop near Bliss to eat sack lunches that I had packed. We were stopped for about half an hour, but that was our only stop. We got to Aberdeen around 8:30.

Saturday morning, we got up early to get ready for the funeral. Just before we left, we took a few minutes and let Sara open her presents.





She got a new blanket (which she had been begging for), an "I am a Child of God" necklace, a CTR bracelet, a headband, nail polish, and lip gloss. She wore it all to Great Grandma's funeral.

We got to Pocatello to the funeral home around 10:30. The viewing was from 10:30-12:00. Just before noon, they shut the doors to have a family prayer before closing the casket. Right about that time, Aaron decided he didn't want to be there anymore (and who can blame him, everybody is standing around crying, expecting him to sit still and be good--that's hard for a 5 year old). My aunt and uncle on my Mom's side of the family had come (not because they knew my grandmother so much, but just to be a support to my parents). My aunt went to Aaron and suggested he go out with her to get a drink of water. He dug in his heals, refusing to go. I helped her drag him out (with Owen in my arms), then she sent me back in to listen to the prayer. After the prayer, we moved into the room where the funeral was, and I looked for my aunt and Aaron. I didn't see them anywhere. I went ahead and sat down for the funeral. Owen got fussy, so my brother-in-law took him out and paced the halls till Owen fell asleep. So, I was left with just Nate, and I was able to really listen and enjoy the funeral.

It was a really nice funeral. My oldest sister Heather gave the life sketch. My Grandma wrote it years ago and told Heather she wanted her to read it at her funeral. I was reminded of things about my grandma that I had forgotten, like the fact that her father died just a few days after my grandma's 5th birthday. Her mother had to go to work, and my grandma was the youngest child and not in school yet, so she was sent to live with her grandparents. That must have been so hard. No wonder my grandmother was such a strong woman, she had to start so young.

After the funeral, I discovered that Aaron had spent the entire time outside sitting in my aunt Deborah's car with her. He didn't want to be in the funeral, and she didn't make him. Instead, they sat in her car and read a book about dinosaurs on her phone. He loved it. The rest of the day, he kept talking about how nice Aunt Deborah was and how much he loved the dinosaur book they read. I was so thankful to her for helping me out with him. He can really be a handful when he wants to be.

As I drove in the processional to the cemetery, I suddenly got flooded with emotions. I hadn't cried up till that point, but as we were driving to the cemetery, it all got to me. I tried to call Scott, but he didn't answer. And so I drove silently with the kids and cried.

I did better once we got to the cemetery, because I was having to juggle the 6 kids again, and didn't have time to be sad. My dad dedicated the grave, and all the great-grand-kids picked a flower out of the bouquet on her casket to take home. Then we went to a nearby church for a luncheon. It was a great chance to visit with family. Every single one of grandma's children, grandchildren, and great-grand-children were at the funeral. She left behind a great legacy.

After the lunch, we drove back to Aberdeen. My sister Linda came with her kids to my mom's to help celebrate Sara's birthday. I had made and cake at home and brought it with us, but I'd forgotten candles, and my mom didn't have any. So Sara had to have her birthday cake without candles.


Poor Sara, it wasn't much of a birthday, but I promised to make it up to her later (she doesn't know, but I'm throwing her a surprise party this Friday).

The drive home on Sunday morning went really well. We had to make several stops for kids to use the bathroom, and we had to stop once for gas, but the kids behaved great for me. Once we got home, I let Scott take over (he had gotten home a few hours before us), and I crashed on the couch. I slept the rest of the afternoon. A couple of hours after we got home, I started running a fever, and I was so glad it had waited till we got home. I'm still feeling horrible. I've had a massive headache for about 5 days straight now, and I'm wondering when I'm finally going to get better.

Sunday night, we took what was left of Sara's birthday cake and put candles in it for her to blow out. This time Scott was there to sing happy birthday to her too.



Scott had a great time in Sun Valley. He won "Longest Drive" and took 3rd place overall in individuals. He won't admit it, but he's a really good golfer. I'm glad he had a good time, but I'm sad I didn't get to be there with him, and that he wasn't able to be at the funeral to help me.

Nate's Preschool

Nate had his first day of preschool last Tuesday. Preschool? Aren't I the mom who hates school and hates having her kids away from her? Yes, I am. And even I still can't believe I've done this. But....Nate wanted to go to school so much. Through all of the kids' school shopping, Nate had to have school supplies too for "his school". When the kids headed off on their first day of school, Nate insisted that he needed to go to his school. He was so insistent on going to school, that I finally gave in and enrolled him in a preschool that is here in our neighborhood. And he absolutely loves it! He goes on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30-12:00. He's pretty sure he should go every day, and has a hard time staying home on his off days. It's great for him to get to experience new things and meet new friends. With Aaron away at Kindergarten, and Owen too little to play with, Nate was just kind of lost. He's so used to having so many people around here to play with, he was just so lonely with all the kids away at school. And it's so nice that it's so close, within walking distance. Nate rides his bike over and I push Owen in the stroller. Then, after dropping off Nate, I continue to walk with Owen for an hour (I have to have something to fill my free time). It's great to finally get out and get some exercise. Then Owen and I come home and hang out for a bit before it's time to walk back over and get Nate. I'm getting a glimpse of what life will be like as these kids grow up and I have more free time for myself, and I'm not so sure I like it. But, it's worth it to see Nate so excited about his preschool.

This Weekend

My grandma passed away early yesterday morning. The funeral is going to be this Saturday. So the new weekend plan is for Scott to go to Sun Valley tomorrow morning (Thursday). Then on Friday after the kids get out of school, I'll drive with the 6 of them to Aberdeen. I'm hoping the drive will be uneventful, as I will be on my own. Scott is still debating whether he should drive over for the funeral on Saturday, or if he should just stay in Sun Valley. I've told him he doesn't need to come, but I think he feels guilty about leaving me alone for all of this. Then the kids and I will come home on Sunday morning (which is also when Scott would be coming home from Sun Valley). Josh will miss his first football game, but he understands that this is more important. And Sara will spend her birthday at a funeral, but we'll try to make it up to her later.

I'm just hoping that I'll start feeling better soon. I have been sick for a month now with a horrible cough/cold. It just seems to be getting worse instead of better. Scott made me go to the doctor today to make sure it wasn't turning into pneumonia. I didn't want to go, but decided it was best to make sure it wasn't something serious before I take on this weekend. They did a chest x-ray, and decided my lungs looked clear, but did prescribe medications that will help clear the inflammation in my chest that is making it difficult to breath, help calm my cough, and help with my plugged up sinuses. I'm hoping that all those pills get me feeling better soon.

I have come to grips with the fact that I'm going to have to miss Governor's Cup, but I'm still jealous that Scott gets to go and have a great time while I'm left alone with the kids. Such is the life of a Mother.

My Grandma Sorensen

Last night when I was talking to my mom about the condition of my grandma, my kids all gathered around me, wondering what was going on. After I got off the phone, I explained to them that Great Grandma Sorensen's body was shutting down. They cried and I cried. She is their last living great grandparent. Savannah took it especially hard. But, I explained to them that this wasn't a sad thing, and that I wasn't crying because I was sad. I was crying because it's an emotional thing. I told them about my grandpa who passed away 14 1/2 years ago, and how he and my grandma would be reunited. I told them about how wonderful heaven is. I told them that my grandma was old and tired, and that she'd lived a long full life. I told them this is Heavenly Father's plan for all of us. I told them that the tears they would see from everyone over the next week aren't tears of sadness, but just tears of emotion because this is a very big thing.

It is an emotional thing. My grandma Sorensen was always been the epitome of health. She was amazing. She took care of a big yard, never seemed to age, and never seemed to slow down. I always sort of believed she was invincible. She was an amazing strong woman. I can remember going out to her house every Christmas Eve. I remember the big heater in her kitchen that we would all fight to stand in front of to get warm. I remember the fun bar stools in her kitchen that we'd fight over to sit in--tall milk jug buckets topped with a metal tractor seat. I remember sitting in her rocking chair and watching the fish in her fish tank. I remember going out there in the summer time and roaming her huge yard. It was always filled with animals--ducks, geese, dogs, cats, etc. She had a field with an empty train car, broken down sheds, and old vehicles that we would spend hours exploring. There was even an old outhouse. I remember the baby ducklings in the incubator in her garage. Her yard was always filled with life everywhere. My grandma had the most amazing porcelain doll collection. I remember when I was finally old enough to receive my first porcelain doll from her for Christmas. She was a collector of all sorts of nick-knacks. When she went to live at the Willows, my kids got to go to her house and pick out some "treasures" to keep from her house. They still have those, and they will mean even more to them after she is gone. I love my grandma, and she will be missed.

(Two Easters ago.)

Sun Valley

This coming week is Governor's Cup. Scott and I started going to this 7 years ago, and have attended almost every summer since. While Dirk Kempthorne was governor, it was always held in Sun Valley. With Butch Otter as governor, he decided to switch off between Coeur d'Alene and Sun Valley. So last year we flew up to Coeur d'Alene and had a fabulous time. This year it's back in Sun Valley. For those not familiar with Governor's Cup, it's a scholarship program for Idaho students attending Idaho colleges. They charge you $1500 a person to attend this weekend of activities, and use the money to award scholarships. It's outrageously expensive, but Scott's work foots the bill and sends us for free. And it's an amazing three days of golfing for Scott, social activities for me (hiking, Hemingway tour, etc.), gift bags to die for, fancy catered dinners, a concert, mingling with important government people, and beautiful surroundings. It's the trip I look forward to the most all year.

At the beginning of this summer, Scott attended a conference in Chicago, where he heard a man named Dr. Steve Gundry speak. He came home from the conference, bought Dr. Gundry's book called Diet Evolution, and convinced me to try his diet. I decided I would go for it. I would stick to it for three months, try and lose 30 pounds, and have this Sun Valley trip be my motivation. I wanted to look good for Sun Valley. And I did it. I've lost 30 pounds! I think that's pretty amazing. And now none of my clothes fit. So I went shopping and bought new clothes--cute, size 10 clothes. Size 10! After giving birth to 6 kids--I've never been a size 10 in all of my married life. Again, I think that's pretty amazing. So, I went and bought cute new clothes that fit and I couldn't wait to wear them in Sun Valley, where I could actually dress up and not be covered in spit-up within 5 minutes.

The timing of the trip was going to be a bit of a strain, because it falls over Sara's 7th birthday, and we were going to miss Josh's first flag football game. But, we had arranged months ago for my parents to come and stay with our kids. I figured that having Grandma and Grandpa here would almost make up for not having Mom and Dad here for those events.

And so everything was set. I started cleaning the house getting ready to turn it over to my parents for 4 days, and started mentally picking out which outfit I'd wear on which day. And then....

My mom called Saturday night. My Grandma Sorensen had been taken to the hospital because she was looking yellow. Her kidney and liver levels were off. They thought it was a kidney infection, but upon further testing, they found a tumor. They said she had two weeks. My mom said the doctor wanted to meet with all her children on Sunday, and then they would know more.

My parents called again last night. They had been at the hospital all day. The doctor had decided the best thing was to just not treat my Grandma for the tumor, but just make her comfortable with pain medication. The tumor is pressing on her liver, making the bile back-up, essentially poisoning her. They are sending her home to the Willows (the assisted living center where she has been living the last few years, and considers home). They don't expect her to make it through this week.

And so, without my parents here to watch our kids, I can't go to Sun Valley. I feel for my parents and what they will have to go through over the next few days, watching my grandma slip away. And it seems like such a selfish thing for me to even care that I have to miss this trip. But, I do. Scott will get to go and enjoy this fantastic weekend without me. And while he's having such a great time, I will be home, once again, doing the single mom thing. It just makes me sad.

My Girls

A couple of weeks ago, we had a Mother/Daughter Relief Society activity. It was a Hawaiian Luau. We just got the pictures from it, so I thought I'd share.

I love that I have girls. I love my boys, but I love that I have girls too. I'm so lucky to have both. I also love that I have two girls (instead of just one), so they have a sister to share things with. And I love when we get to do "girl things" together. They are both old enough now that it's fun to take them shopping or do hair and nails with them. Girls are just so much fun!

Vancouver

Scott went to Vancouver this past week. He tells me it's beautiful and that next time I need to go with him. I think that sounds like a great idea.

Frog

Last week school started on a Tuesday. So on Monday we played one last day. I took the kids swimming at the pool. While the kids were swimming, they spotted a large frog in the grass. They were so excited about it. Scott came to meet us during his lunch hour, and used his phone to get some pictures of the frog. The kids really wanted to bring it home for a pet, but I had no idea where we would even keep it, so I made them leave it there.