Memorial Day/Birthday

Now and then my birthday falls on Memorial Day, and this year was one of those times! I can't think of a better way to spend my day than honoring those who have passed on, especially Lillian. Unfortunately it started raining on us at the cemetery, but we got some good pictures before that. Amy and my parents brought flowers for Lillians grave which was very thoughtful! My mom even brought a pinwheel. The cemetery was quite beautiful with the thousands of flowers everywhere.





(Yes, these pictures were taken on a camera phone. Jared got a new phone that looks more like a miniature lap top than a phone, and he uses the camera feature a lot.) So I'm 30 now. My birthday was nice, the Schauers all sang to me at Aaron's cabin Sunday night and we had cake and icecream. Monday my friend took me to breakfast at IHOP and Jared took the kids for two hours so I could study and exercise, and my family came over and threw me a barbecue. Jared grilled me some steak and he did a lot of cleaning (he almost did it without bringing attention to his work, until he had to unload that diswasher a 2nd time). Thanks sweetie! My grandma and siblings bought me an Italian Leather triple to go with my Italian Leather Bible that I had received as an employee gift at the Distribution Center. Just what I wanted! We played mormon rook and I won! It was a relaxing and enjoyable day.

Happy Birthday Savanna

Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to Savanna
Happy Birthday to YOU!

7 YEARS OLD!!!


On Saturday May 17th...Savanna had breakfast in bed, opened gifts from mom and dad, played with gifts and tried to keep them away from Weston and Fiora, went with our family and her friend Dawson to Legacy Center pool, played for 2 hours, came back and found a gift from aunt Heidi W on our porch, had dinner, opened more gifts, cake and icecream, played with cousins, slept over at Grandma B's, & got more gifts the next evening at family dinner!!! She ended year six with a bang.

10 things we love about SAVANNA
1. She is most helpful when she wants to be, she made us waffles for breakfast the other day!
2. She is so enthusiastic, she doesn't just say I love you, she says "OH I love you so much I just want to hug you tighter than you can!" Or something like that.
3. She has good expression when she reads.
4. She is a good reader!
5. She is a fine artist!
6. She reminds us that was have 6 people in our family and always blesses Lillian in her prayers.
7. She looks both ways when she crosses the street...looking to each side with every step until she is all the way across.
8. She has a great imagination and loves to play with Fiora and Weston.
9. She has a great memory!
10. And the final reason we love Savanna is...she tells great jokes! Like this one - Why are you tired on April fools day? Because you just had a March of 31 days! HAAAAA HAAAA HA! Thanks for keeping us laughing Savanna, you are the BEST!

Mothers Day and gardens

Sunday was fun. Jared and Savanna made me breakfast, french toast and fruit smoothies! Then I was given some nice gifts, a windchime and a pair of running shoes. Savanna was thoughtful all day, she would say, "Mom, don't you DARE clean this mess, it's Mothers Day!" and stuff like that. Weston was careful not to demand too much, only an occassional cup of juice. Fiora gave me lots of loves.

We had a nice dinner at the Barretts that evening, my parents gave ME a mothers day gift, funny. Chocolates and a new scentsy bar. Holly gave me chocolates too! It was fun. We celebrated Mother's Day with Jared's parents Friday evening at Golden Coral. All you can eat restaraunts are against my principles currently (I just finished a sociology class that constantly focused on the overweight epidemic in the US) but that's one of Jared's FAVORITE places to eat. So it was fun, Jared ate enough for both of us to get our money's worth.





Jared's father tilled our garden for mothers day, which was most helpful! We spent most of last week digging up sod, weeds, and rocks from a small plot of land by our deck and with perfect timing Neil was there Friday to till the dirt. I even put Jareds worm farm in there to irrigate it. Now, if we could get some consecutive warm days to heat the soil I could plant the seeds! The back yard looks so much nicer with the garden landscaping, trimmed rose bushes, and Jareds weed-eating and my lawn mowing. It is a fun place to play and relax.

Westons hair and hiccups

Things that make Weston laugh so hard he gets the hiccups:
-Locking the door from the house to the garage when we are trying to get in.
-Putting his nose on your eye and saying "There's a nose on your eye!"
-Saying "Boo," but only if you pretend to be scared or startled
-Being tickled above the ribs right by the armpits

Early Bird

This year at school Savanna was on late track, 9:15-3:30, which her teacher called "Later Gater." At least once a week I have listened to Savanna complain about being a later gater. She really wants to be an early bird and go home at 2:15 with the early track students. So I signed Fiora up for 8:00 kindergarten and changed Savanna to early track for next year, so they can walk to school together. I am very nervous about it and keep asking myself why I allowed Savanna to talk me into this. Next school year my be a morning after morning ritual of cranky kids complaining that they have to get up early. Well, that will teach them (and me) and we'll switch to late track in 2009.

Weston got a haircut Monday, a real butch, for the summer. He said he wanted a haircut like Kayden's (buzz) so I buzzed the bottom half and cropped the top. Picture forthcoming.

Fiora and Weston seem surprisingly inhibited by the influx of bugs outside. I have been encouraging them to play outside in this nice weather and they have been running back in the house screaming "wasp!" "bee!" "spider!" and even "boxelder bug!" Fiora is very careful to close the door to the house so "no bugs can get in". I am their mighty bug body guard and must be outside with them to thwart all attempts of bugs to fly or land near.

I'm teaching Westons Joyschool this week, we are learning trust and confidence. I just don't think I'm the one who should be teaching this section. I encourage them that they are creative and artistic and when they draw their self portraits I say "you're doing it wrong, faces aren't purple!" I teach the boys to be adventurous and confident and when they play outside I snap "don't play with the hose" and "be careful don't do that!" I'm afraid I'm rather dashing their confidence. Weston refused to come back inside after play time and missed half the lesson anyway.