Swiss Days

It is so neat to see the community come together for "Swiss Days" every year. We live only a block away from the town hall where all of the festivities are and so it is perfect for walking back and forth. People who didn't live nearby had to park at the high school and ride a shuttle back and forth. The Swiss Days committee borrowed our 15 passenger van for one of the shuttles.

Last night Rick and I enjoyed the BBQ dinner and family history displays and this morning Jase and I ran the 5k. Here I am still splotchy and red-faced! My time was 30 minutes 35 seconds and Jase's was 33 minutes and 30 seconds. I haven't run a race in years. Hopefully I can improve my time on the next one.

The kids enjoyed the parade -- at least those entries that threw out candy, otter-pops, or T-shirts! Josh and Jaiden would yell out, "Here comes a candy-throwing one!" The younger kids also got a kick out of Smokey the Bear and the lion from Laser Mania.

Janika and I took the little kids around to play the games and look at the booths. The older boys saw "opportunity" and set up a table on the corner to sell lemonade and candy. They made a few bucks each and so they were happy! Jase helped man one of the booths yesterday and today with his scout troop.

Those who put on Swiss Days do such a wonderful job! (Notice Ky's hair in the last picture. He got it done at one of the "hair styling" booths! Stylin!)

Deaf Branch Conference Day Two

Deaf Branch Conference Day One

Tonight was the first night of our Deaf Branch Conference. We had about 65 people attend. About half from our branch here and half from out of town. We had Deaf people come from Northern Utah, California, and a few from other states. One person came clear from Maryland!

Tonight everyone arrived and had a chance to visit. I know many of our members were excited to see friends that they had not seen for a long time. Then we had a wonderful meal catered by Staheli Catering. The key note speaker was Ron Burdett. He did a fabulous job (as always)! It was a very enjoyable evening!

Annie

I took my kids to Tuacahn to see "Annie" tonight. We went with the deaf group and the interpreters did an incredible job! I had already seen the play earlier with Janika and so I enjoyed watching the interpreters much of the time. Janika was excited to see her friend, Ellie Smith, play the part of "Annie." They got to know each other in the production of "Les Miserables" last summer. Ellie did a fantastic job and we enjoyed the show very much! Jase decided at the last minute to stay home, which was fine by me since I needed someone to watch Josh and Jenna until Rick got home from cleaning up after the first night of the Deaf Branch Conference. Jared came along but was "too cool" to actually get into any of the pictures. The girls took their glasses off in one of the "poster pictures" because "none of the orphans were wearing glasses." Silly girls!

Cowboy Day

I feel so disorganized lately. I went to pick up our cute little neighbor girl, Aly, to bring her to pre-school with Josh and she was all decked out in cow-girl clothes. "Oh, is it cowboy day?" Her mom remembered and she just had a new baby four days ago. What's my problem?

The problem is -- I didn't write it on the calendar. I have a master calender in the kitchen which I check numerous times a day. If appointments and obligations get written on the calendar then I do pretty well at staying on top of things. But if they don't, then wedding receptions, baby showers, cowboy days, and "wear pink to school" days are completely erased from my memory.

But luckily my friend saved my son from the embarrassment of being the only kid not dressed up. (Actually I noticed that a couple of other kids apparently had forgetful parents too...) I hurried to the basement and dumped out the costume box searching for suitable cowboy gear.

Our cowboy hats have all been sat on, stepped on, squished, and tossed out and so I had to choose this goofy little hat which looks more like a farmer than a cowboy, but Josh didn't know the difference. (He has done just fine in pre-school since that "first-day melt-down" by the way). I didn't dare let him wear our cowboy boots since they are several sizes too big and I was afraid he might fall down the steep stairs that lead to the pre-school area. We also have chaps and the whole get-up but I could only find one leg in a hurry. So vest and hat it was. He was a perfectly happy little uh...cowboy!

Kindergarten Homework

Gotta love kindergarten homework. Thank goodness for older sisters who are crafty and like doing projects with little sisters!

Responsibility

After spending over 2 1/2 hours yesterday helping kids with homework, I was a little frustrated to find that Janelle (almost 7) didn't read her take-home book for today. It was now time to leave for school and too late. So after giving her the lecture about being responsible for her own homework because "I can't keep track of homework for 7 kids" she says, "Well, you are the one who decided to have 7 kids!!"

Hmmph!

After posting this on facebook one of my friends commented...

"That's some sound logic on her part. Maybe you don't need to worry so much about her intelligence and her ability to oversee her responsibilities...LOL."

I guess he is right!

Not Again!!

So, Jaiden cut her own bangs -- again!!! Granted, it is not near as bad as it was when she cut them clear up to her scalp last October.... but still!!! You would have thought she would have learned her lesson!

It was another hot day today and the kids had been swimming. I was talking with Rick later in the evening when Jaiden came up to me in her swimming suit with a crocheted snow hat on her head. She is usually in one costume or another and so I didn't think anything of the curious combination. She kept saying, "Mom -- I need to talk to you!" I was brushing her off, "not now -- I am talking to dad." Finally I finished talking and she led me somewhere private. Then she got all teary eyed as she pulled off her hat exclaiming, "I cut my bangs again." JAIDEN!!

Of course school pictures are on Wednesday. Oh well. If I curl them and brush them to the side a little, then it is not too noticeable.

Youth Boating Activity

Rick and Janika went on a youth boating activity to Quail Lake with our Deaf Branch. We only have a few youth in our branch and so they usually combine with another ward for church and activities, but they like to have some of their own activities as well. These first couple of pictures are of Janika Jensen and Maddie Pemberton.

We are so grateful to have the Pembertons join our branch! They are an awesome family and such a wonderful addition to the Deaf Branch. Grant Pemberton is an interpreter for the deaf and was called to be one of the counselors in the branch presidency. He and has wife, Toni, have four great kids. Maddie is just a year older than Janika and those two have become good friends. I know Janika is glad to finally have someone her age in the branch. The Pemberton 's youngest daughter is close in age to Janelle and so she has been a good play mate for our younger girls.

We were glad that Rosa Lampe was able to come on this activity too and hope that she decides to come back to the branch with her parents in the future!

The fourth picture is Maddie, Janika, and Rosa. The pictures below that include Rick Jensen and Grayson Pemberton and Grant Pemberton.

Cub Scout Day Camp

Busy day! Bright and early this morning I had several cute, energetic 8 and 9 year old boys knocking on my door. I was the "parent chaperon" for Jared's cub scout day camp. After I accepted the assignment, I found out that Janika and Rick would also be gone on a youth boating activity today. I considered hiring a baby-sitter but then decided that Jase could handle the remaining three children at home as long as I took the baby with me.

Janika had a blast boating and was gone until around 7:30 p.m.! She came home tired and very sore. I was worried that she would get sunburned but she informed me that she applied sunscreen seven different times throughout the day. Way to go Janika! She actually got a nice tan. Rick had come home earlier in the afternoon in order to attend a training session at the temple.

Jared and the other boys had a great time at their scout camp. The theme was "Under Cubstruction." The boys learned how to: shoot BB guns, use maps and compasses, use the scientific method, make a lighthouse and a little hockey game, play badminton, explore one of those giant balloon thingies, and so forth. They passed off lots of requirements towards belt-loops and advancements.

Thankfully, Jase and the little kids survived at home alone. Jase even managed to get all of his jobs done without being asked and the house was reasonably clean and so that was pretty impressive! Thanks, Jase!

He ended up tending a little longer since I just HAD to take a nap when I got home. I was beat (even though I hadn't done anything but sit around in the shade and watch rambunctious boys play all day)!