Boring April Fool's Day

 April 1: I had a couple of interpreting jobs today as usual. Tonight we had the missionaries over for dinner. Part of their assignment is the Deaf Branch and they wanted us to teach them some sign language. We taught them a bunch of signs and then I helped Josh deliver the cookie dough from his soccer fundraiser.

At the end of the day Jenna complained that Dad hadn't done any fun April Fool's jokes. We have many hilarious videos in our home video collection of April Fool's jokes through the years (mostly instigated by Rick). You can read about some of those HERE! However, they have lessened through the years. Jenna said that her friends even asked her, "What did your Dad do for April Fools?" She was disappointed to report that he didn't do anything. Perhaps he will have to step up his game next year!  

Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day! Rick and the kids slept out on the tramp last night. It was warm when they started but said that it got really cold during the night and that they were freezing.

I took Janelle, Jaiden, and Jenna hiking (walking) early this morning on a little trail that starts from the Jacob Hamblin home. We then picked up Rick, Janika, and Josh and brought some flowers to Eliza William's grave-site. Jaiden suggested yellow since that was her favorite color.

At the cemetery Rick asked me if we should consider buying some plots in that cemetery. When the kids asked why he would want to do that he was explaining that when a death occurred it made things a little easier if the plots were already purchased so that you aren't having to make a lot of emotional decisions while going through the grief process. He explained that he would be buried next to me, and Jenna said, "I want to be buried next to Clarissa!" You know you have a good friend when you want to be buried next to them! 

Rick decided it would be fun for the kids to have a summer "spelling bee."  A few days ago he printed off a list of grade-level words for each of our kids and today was going to be a practice for the real thing. The catch was when they missed a word, they got thrown into the pool. The kids all did remarkably well and Jaiden was the winner, and thus the only one who wasn't thrown in. But she didn't want to be left out and jumped in.  Actually we let Josh off the hook too (from being thrown in) since he has a cold/allergies.

The rest of the day we let the kids play with friends and swim and so forth and then had a barbecue tonight.

Jenna Soccer

This is Jenna's first year playing soccer and she is doing great!  I have been pleasantly surprised!

We were watching her play and during a break I asked her what her team name was. She said, "The Green Mortals."  We responded with, "The Green Mortals?" "Well, maybe it was the green morals." "Green morals?" Turns out, they are the Green Emeralds!!"