May Days

Ever since James got his new bike he has been all about riding his bike to and from school. In the mornings he's a little hard to keep up with.

Erica doesn't care about going fast and would prefer I drive her but she's a good sport.

Spring runoff like we've never seen it. This is Hobble Creek and it is loud. We don't live anywhere near where the runoff will affect our house but I see sandbags all over Mapleton and Springville. I haven't heard of any damage yet but people are being very proactive about clearing the debris in the rivers and placing sandbags. Let's hope all the prep pays off.

Erica made a double chocolate smore and melted her chocolate in the microwave. I was so proud.

Our new library is finally open! The kids didn't have the greatest attitude pulling up to the new building or while walking in out of loyalty and affection for the old building across the street. All their negativity melted away when they saw the cool new book drop right inside the doors. The new library is pretty and new. I miss our old library as well but this new one has a drive up drop box and that wins me over.

 On Friday I chaperoned at the art museum during the 8th grade field trip. The kids were to find an artwork to write a poem about. I basically stood around in this room like a security guard and said "walk" twice and was asked 4 times by the kids if I worked there. 

Want to know the most interesting piece of art in this whole room? Literally every kid stopped and looked at it.

This one. I sent this photo of it to Justin and he said he liked it too.

The artist of this sculpture was in my ward growing up. Erasmo Fuentes also plays the classic guitar and he played a medley of hymns in sacrament meeting and it blew my mind. I'd never heard a classic guitar before. His wife made all the salsa for my wedding reception. AND our wedding reception was at this art museum.

Erica had her first track meet on Tuesday. She was not excited. She's not competitive and really doesn't like people watching her. I tried to be encouraging by telling her most of the day is just playing on the bleachers with your friends.

Turns out she's pretty fast. She won her heats in the 50 and 100 and qualified for the finals in the 50. Unfortunately that's as far as she made it but she decided she liked racing.

That afternoon the workers finally started digging up our old cracked and wonky patio. More details to come (because it's not done yet).

Last night Henry and Sarah had their orchestra concerts. Sarah also stayed for the high school orchestra so she was there for like 6 hours.

I went for an extra long walk this morning to avoid the construction chaos at home. It's always worth it when I can find a spectacular view of our mountain. 

Goodbye April

For the most part Mapleton is pretty flat. It's all farmland or former farmland so it's nice for walking. But if I choose a route closer to the mountain, I of course come across some more hilly terrain. I climbed up a newly constructed road at the base of the mountain and wound up to this view. I was impressed. 

I'm sure by next year it will be full of new homes so I won't be able to enjoy the view without peeking through houses but for now I 

Sarah ran for student council again this year and she made it! She has had so much fun serving this year and wanted to do it again. She wants to apply for student body president which means an interview with the principle or something then he chooses. 

For Earth Day we spent the morning cleaning up a neighbor's backyard along with other people from our ward. See this huge limb? There was another branch almost as big broken and lying on the roof. So some men armed with chainsaws took care of that. There was lots of limb cutting and hauling off. We filled a trailer 3 times and the truck bed like twice. I spent most of the time raking and sweeping the patio and when the kids showed up, they wanted a turn on the now cleared roof.

I feel like all I've done all month is trim trees and haul branches. The day before this we hauled all our fruit tree trimmings to the dumpsters the city provided. Add in our day of helping prune at Justin's grandma's and yup: branches, branches brances.

I spied this artwork in the hall across from his classroom. What is it with this kid and chicken nuggets? Tuesday was my last day helping in James's class and I am so sad about it. Am I always going to be sad at each of his milestones because they mark the end of an era?

My mom is forever unearthing treasures in her house. Just when I think she's gone through everything she pulls out a bag of cassette tapes. The red and yellow Little Critter tape was my sister's and came with a book. I listened to it all the time as a kid. We have a copy of that book and I even hear the tape narration when I read it aloud to my kids. Anyway, I adopted it and played it for James in the car and he was blown away. All my kids were so intrigued by how a tape works. I felt old and cool at the same time.

I mapped my lawn mowing with my walking app to see how far I walk. Not sure about that crazy big loop at the bottom as I did not mow my neighbor's yard, promise. I thought it looked pretty funny.

Yesterday my sister brought over a bike for James to have since her boys don't need it anymore. It had an extra set of pegs so Henry put them on the back of his bike and took his sisters for a ride. Erica wouldn't get on without a helmet.

And that's how we wrap up the month! May is a fun and busy month. I am helping six 8-year-old girls make mother's day presents, chaperoning a field trip to our local art museum, getting our back patio replaced. And of course Mother's day, Henry's birthday, kindergarten graduation, last day of school, our 17th wedding anniversary and somehow makeover the shed and plant a garden.

Here's a few pictures of our lovely flowers and blossoms. Everyday is greener and fuller.

Easter and Other Signs of Spring

Hooray it's Easter! I love this holiday so much. I think because it comes at just the right time and there's candy involved. For the Saturday Easter hunt at my mom's we were a small group again this year. I think the last time we had a good-sized group it was before covid. Next year! But Jaana was in from DC so that made it extra special! We had pizza for lunch and the kids were mostly patient waiting for lunch to be over and eggs to be hidden.

Usually I just refill the eggs they brought home the previous year but last year the kids got more eggs than would fit in their bucket and it was too much candy. I filled way less and they still got a basket full.

Later Justin, my brother-in-law, and nephew carried in a gas fireplace for my dad. He's been building the base for it and now it's ready for the unit. I tease him he'll have it done just in time for summer!

Easter morning! Justin had the day off from meetings so we were able to make a delicious eggs Benedict breakfast and make some yummy baked beans for dinner and a carrot cake for dessert later at Justin's parents house. I can't think of the last time we spent Sunday morning together. Well the day he was sustained in January but our minds were so occupied we didn't really enjoy the time together. After breakfast we watched some Easter church videos with the kids and talked about why this day is the most important day in the history of ever. Justin, Sarah, and Henry had to be to church early so they left before I could get pictures taken so these are done after church (thus the harsh sunshine).

Sarah gave a talk and sang in the choir. James and Erica sang with the primary. Justin's brother Nate and his family joined us as well. It was a great sacrament meeting! After church we went to Justin's parents house for another egg hunt and dinner. The kiddos rode in the bed of the truck all the way there (it's only a half mile).

What is with Henry putting his basket on his head?

Each of the kids have their own labeled bags they are hunting for too.

For dinner we had ham and funeral potatoes, green beans, fruit salad, and baked beans. For dessert, carrot cake. So good. It's one of my favorite meals and why I love Easter so much.

Our area had our turn for the traveling tabernacle. I haven't been yet but Justin, Henry, and Sarah went for an activity when it was Provo. Now it was our turn to have it nearby in Springville and Sarah volunteered on Tuesday. My parents went that day and took these pictures.

(This was seriously the craziest day. I helped in James's class, had a hair appointment, took the middles to the orthodontist and crossed my fingers that Sarah made it to the church in back arranging rides on her own. There are days where I have literally nothing scheduled and somehow all the things got put on this day.)

Spring has definitely come to our town. I found this calf on my walk the other day.

What are these in this huge field?

Oh just some Texas longhorns.

So there are these trees outside of the Payson temple that I'm pretty much obsessed with. I've taken pictures of them all leafed out and tried to research what kind they are. Last week when I came out of the temple (it was pouring when I went in) I noticed that they were all flowery. Flowers are a good clue as to what kind of tree they are! Huzzah! A quick google image search came back with magnolia tree! Sweetbay, to be exact, after some deeper searching.

Now I just have to find one in a local nursery. Wish me luck! And then I'll have to find a place in my yard to plant it.

Summer 2022 (I love the white bark and multi-stem trunk)

On Friday the girls had their piano recital. The theme for the recital was duets. Each of the students picked a duet and a duet partner. Most kids picked their moms or piano teacher to play with them. One kid played with his sister on the harp and that was cool. My girls chose their grandmas which was really special. (I don't play and I'm glad it worked out this way.)

They all did so good! I loved listening to them practice for the last couple of months.

And if this isn't a sign of spring, I don't know what is. The kids treat the trampoline as their own imaginative playland.