Swap Time!

Another swap is coming up!  If you live in Arizona, this is your chance to participate in something different and fun.  If you visit my Covers by Camilla blog, you can enter to win free registration for the Swap!  For more information about the swap visit the Swap blog.

Ahhhh, that’s better…

Well, I survived!  The Primary Program went off well today.  Perfect? No.  Good?  Yes!  I was so incredibly nervous the whole morning leading up to the program.  Seriously, I don’t ever remember being that nervous for anything in my whole life.  We had sooo many extra visitors to the ward and so there were A LOT of people there.  It was ridiculous to be that nervous but I sat through the sacrament on the verge of tears, trying not to look around at all those people and reminding myself to take deep breaths.  So silly!  The anticipation was so much worse than actually going through the program.  Once the kids were up on the stand (they barely fit!) and we were chugging along I was able to relax and by the end…ahhh, all better! 

One minor bump in the road was that Primary President’s son…yeah, my son had to be bodily hauled out of the chapel by me after he spent the first five minutes sulking on the stairs and refusing to say his part (which he had memorized) or sing the songs.  After trying to talk some sense into him he started a major resistance, hence the removal.  Later, when speaking with the Stake Primary President about how our program went, she told me that she thought it was so funny when I had to haul Stephen out.  She said she could see the exact same thing happening with her boys when they were young.  She and her counselors were laughing and she said when she saw me carry him out she turned to her counselors and made the comment, “that boy is headed for the dumpster!”  I am glad she helped me to see the funny side to the incident.  It is always funnier when it isn’t your kid making the scene though.

I was so proud of the Primary kids.  They did a great job singing and they did their speaking parts so well.  The highlights were the last two songs: “I Know that My Savior Loves Me” and the children and congregation singing “I Am a Child of God.”  The children sang the descant on the third verse and it was beautiful!  The spirit was very strong and we even had a few tears from people.  It was so sweet to feel the children’s testimonies and pure spirits as they sang and spoke.  

Sundays

Sundays around here have become major stress days for me.  I literally dread going to church.  We have been practicing for the Primary Sacrament meeting program the last few weeks and as a result I am loosing my mind. 

After church last week Scott and I were chatting in the kitchen he kind of squinted at me and then leaned in close and plucked a scraggly gray eyebrow hair that was poking out of my eyebrow!  How long was that there? I don’t remember seeing it before church – but there it was after church.  No question what caused it.  I have been breaking out worse than a teenager the last few weeks too. That just goes to show how crazy it has been. 

When the children are all up on the stand it is seriously pure mayhem.  I can’t believe how crazy it all is.  There have been many complications including but not limited to my chorister suddenly being released a few weeks ago.  I am so dreading the day of the program because it feels like impending doom. 

I have a confession to make:  I am a perfectionist.  The older I get, the more of a perfectionist I become.  This program is going to be far from perfect.  That makes me CRAZY!  I know some people can just take a deep breath, let it out and just say “it’s all good” but that is so hard for me to do.  Also, I feel like the way the program turns out is a major reflection on ME.  I know, I shouldn’t be thinking about myself, but I can’t help wondering what people will say about me when it is a total mess.  After our practice today, I spent the rest of the afternoon feeling so embarrassed about how the practice went because it was so crazy.

I can’t wait until it is all over next Sunday.  Everyone keeps telling me that it will all turn out in the end, that the kids will be quiet and reverent up there, and if they don’t know their parts it is a reflection on their parents, not me.  Don’t worry, my attitude isn’t always this bad.  It is often this bad, but not always.  :)

I have great counselors who are so supportive and great Primary teachers who do their best to help things run more smoothly.  I have also witnessed several small miracles as a result of the challenges I have encountered.  Hopefully by this time next Sunday I wll be writing a post about how well it all turned out and how we helped the members of the ward feel the Spirit.  I'll hope and pray for that.

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Superman!

We had “just the family” over to celebrate Stephen’s fourth birthday.  (Okay, and my good friend Ashley and her daughter).  Even with the “limited” guest list, our little house was packed with 15 adults and 7 children.  We had several of Stephen’s current favorite foods including mac-n-cheese, strawberries, pineapple, dehydrated blueberries (fresh are too pricey and frozen are too messy), and breadsticks.  My mom made “gourmet macaroni and cheese” for the grown-ups.  It happens to be one of my favorite meals too!  Enjoy the pictures!

Waiting for the guests to arrive…


The spread:
 


Superman likes macaroni and cheese.


Cousins, Atley, Ryker, and Talan, wearing their capes.  I have to say that Ryker looked so adorable in his little cape!


Cousin Bently, wearing his cape and Stephen donning his.  Uncle Travis (far right) was mighty jealous – he and Dylan wanted to know where their capes were!
 

Scott insisted that a real bat would break the piñata too quickly so we bought this plastic one.


Boston thinks the bat is a light saber.
 

Notice the wooden rod Scott had to resort to using in order to smash the piñata.  I don’t think he will doubt my piñata making skills again.  :)
 

I think Stephen liked the piñata.


Everyone got in on the candy action.  Ryker turned one on Thursday and we got to celebrate his birthday later the same day as Stephen’s party!


Reading the first treasure hunt clue: “Oh no!  Where is the present???”
 

As they solved the clues, a clump of children and adults would rush from one end of our house to another.  I think my house never seems so small as when it is loaded with people.  It was great!
 

When he discovered his bike at the end of the treasure hunt Stephen was a little confused at first…and angry.  I don’t think he was ready for the treasure hunt to be over.  And, after all, it is a big shock when you receive your first bicycle!
 


Singing the Birthday Song and blowing out the candles is still a favorite part of birthdays for Stephen.   I love this picture of him.


I think the sugar is finally kicking in!


Thanks to everyone who came and celebrated with us!  We had so much fun!

Kryptonite, a Heist, a Piñata & Superman Capes

We may or may not have gone overboard for Stephen’s birthday party…I tend to believe that we did NOT go overboard since we really enjoyed all the preparations involved.  In fact, the preparations were almost as fun as the actual party!

Case in point:  licking the green “Kryptonite” cupcake batter (yes, I let my kid eat raw eggs) is so much tastier than the actual cupcakes…

 

And stealing a cupcake while Mommy isn’t looking is way more fun than being given one legally. 

Luckily, the pan had cooled off before the heist.

He managed to mangle three cupcakes before I discovered his sneakiness.   

And then, some crazy mommy out there decided that Stephen needed a piñata for his party.  Did you know if you go to Walmart to buy a piñata it will cost you $20????  Unreal!  Hmmmm….somehow spending $20 on a paper box and spending $5-$10 more to fill it with candy only to have it all smashed to smithereens doesn’t appeal to me.  So, I made one out of balloons, newspaper, masking tape, paper mache, spray paint, and a little tissue paper.  Cost?  Free-ninety-free!  (Plus the candy and a little time).  We had everything on hand except for the balloons which I got from my mom.      

I had so much fun making this!  I know piñata making isn’t for everyone but I truly enjoyed getting my hands dirty and working on this project throughout the week.  It is one of those that you spend 30 minutes here and there working on it with a lot of time waiting for it to dry. 

If you can’t tell, it is supposed to be a cloud with superman symbols showing through.  Yeah, I figured out later how I could have the piñata in the shape of a superman symbol but the cloud worked just fine.  The expression on Stephen’s face when he saw the finished product was worth every minute!

The other preparations for the party involved an afternoon spent sewing five child sized superman capes for party favors.  Somehow, I missed taking a picture of the completed products all together, but you might catch glimpses of them in pictures from the party.  The thought crossed my mind that it would be fun to make capes for the party and I immediately vetoed the idea because of cost.  Then I came across some red fabric I already had and was actually planning to give away.  I couldn’t resist – the result: three traditional red and yellow capes and two girly pink and purple capes.

I also made up a treasure hunt to lead Stephen to his last gift (too big to wrap).  He helped with a treasure hunt once and LOVED it so I knew it would be a hit.  Each clue mentioned a Superman villain, complete with pictures.  I have to say that there are some really scary Superman villains!  Just their names alone are gross and scary. The clues were much cuter printed out with fun fonts but here are a few:

 

Oh, no! The forces of evil have combined to hide Stephen’s last birthday gift! Help him as he follows the clues to find where the villains have taken it…

If you are the side that’s good look where we keep the cold food!

 

He’s tricked us again – drat that Lex Luther! He may have left a clue by the computer!

 

Atomic Skull has been here, no doubt. It seems it is time to look “without.”

You are very close to foiling this evil plan. Search close to where you play in the sand!

Stephen is Four!

My big boy turned four today!  It amazes me how time has flown.  Here he is as a newborn:

 

He is such a smart, funny, good little guy.  He picks up on the littlest things – we can’t fool him anymore.  This kid has a mind like a steel trap.  He remembers things from well over a year ago.  Example: we were out running and he was begging me to sing the broccoli song.  Huh?  I am thinking, then somewhere in the very faintest recesses of my memory I can remember singing a silly song I made up about broccoli one night while we were waiting in the car for Scott one night.  Who knows how long ago that was?? 

 

Stephen is a horribly picky eater but he does like fruit.  “Like” is a total understatement – if I let him, he would eat only fruit.  One morning I woke up to find this on my kitchen table:

He was rather hungry that day since he refused dinner the night before.  But still, three apples, right down to the core???

Stephen is a great brother to Boston and sometimes I will turn around and catch them in a sweet hug.

Tonight,  Stephen came and sat on my lap.  He let me hold him and cuddled with me for several minutes.  I just sat and enjoyed him, thinking about how in a few years he would have no interest in sitting on his Mommy’s lap.  So my plan is to soak it up while I can.  He might be a great big boy of four, who has lost all of his baby fat and can ride his “big boy bike, ” but he can’t fool me!  He is still my baby underneath it all.  :)  I love you Stephen!

 

Family Campout

We went on an overnighter with my family last weekend.  Less than two hours away, it was ideal for a quick getaway.  The boys had a great time with the fire and marshmallows – isn’t that the best part?  I think so, right along with snuggling down all cozy with your family in the tent – I love that part too.  (Until I wake up in the middle of the night freezing and needing to go to the bathroom.)  Okay, so maybe the stars were the most spectacular in the middle of the night when I went on my lone hike to the breezy throne.  (I think you know the kind I mean).  Though I must say it was the cleanest I have ever encountered and totally bug free!

The men went on a short hike.  They found this stick which Grandpa said is either a snake skeleton or a Cholla cactus skeleton.  Stephen said it is a snake skeleton so we are sticking with that.

Closer up look of a live Cholla cactus and a cholla skeleton

 

My handsome boys:

     

I can’t look at this picture without smiling.  I love this boy!

My cutie sister, Celsea, is going to be a great mommy someday.  She is so attentive to my boys and really watches over them!


On the way home.  For some reason I love these “dirty” pictures.  They pigged out on snacks the entire way there and back – I am sure you agree it is worth it to keep the peace.

Fake sleeping picture.  Okay, Boston was almost out but Stephen was totally faking sleep in this picture!  See the little grin?