Early

It’s beautiful here in Germany. I love it. I love this time of year. Last week I was driving home from some Stake Meetings on a Tuesday night. It was 8:45 and when I came up over a hill the light hit all the red roofs in the distant villages just right. The fields were glowing. The castle ruins, perched to the right of me, were shining. I wish I could have taken a picture but unfortunately the autobahn has no ‘scenic viewpoint’ pullouts, otherwise I’d be stopping every half mile. So I just sped along enjoying the view and my drive.

Sunday morning I grabbed my camera as I walked out the door.  So, this is what I’m missing out on at 5:45am in the morning when I’m usually sleeping.   I got up at 4:50am to get ready for Ward Conference meetings that started at 7:00am an hour away in Wiesbaden.  Chris was still at his Radiology Conference so I had friends picking up my kids for church, outfits lined up and reminders posted to remember their scriptures and a snack ready, since they had to stay after church for Bishop’s Youth Council. 

The fields were enticingly still and I took a few pictures of the mornings layer of haze from my car window as I moved through it.    I know my ‘evening fields’ well but I’d never met my ‘morning fields.’  So peaceful.  The autobahn was unbelievably empty so it was a nice, fast ride.  {Boy, I’m sure NOT looking forward to driving in the States again.}   I’m traveling a bit more with my Stake calling and I’ve actually enjoyed it.  I don’t love being away from my family for hours and hours, of course, but being all by myself with an uninterrupted hour to think, listen to books on my iPod, or listen to music has felt like time well spent… and a much needed break for this busy mama. 

Zip Line Park

Trying to be a ‘fun mom’ while Chris was away for five days at a ‘Radiology Conference/Golfing with Jared retreat’, I posted a list on the fridge with big black lettering that was sure to be seen when the kids got home from school on Friday afternoon.

Friday Fun Night…

1. Oreos
2. Zip Line Park
3. Questions
4. Pasta/Alfredo Sauce Dinner
5. Games

The kids were excited… really excited.  The Oreos were on a red square plate piled high.  The seven of us had them gone in just a couple of minutes and then we were out the door to the park.  We have a park a block away but the Zip Line park is at the other end of St. Leon and even though it’s only a few minutes away, we hardly ever make it over there.

I love German parks. In general the playground equipment is unique and things we’ve never seen before.  We played for an hour and then had races back to the van.    When we got home we answered ‘end of the school year’ fun questions for their yearly folders, made and ate dinner together and then played MONOPOLY for 3 hours while the little boys watched a movie.  Whew… talk about a full night.    I think I achieved ‘fun mom’ status from everyone except Megan…  She wasn’t quick enough to the van, forgot her shoes at the slide, got mad that Emily picked them up, made a mistake on her questions, wanted to start over, threw a fit and HATED that everyone else wanted to play Monopoly for our game night.  I tried to be E X T R A patient since I was playing up the ‘fun mom’ role but she definitely did NOT think I achieved it.    I should have picked a game everyone wanted to play but that is easier said than done.  Poor girl.  It’s hard being seven.   (She and I played our own game of Ticket to Ride on Sunday afternoon and I think that helped smooth things over.)   All in all, I think it was a pretty good weekend.

    

Love that little Matthew face…

Katie girl–almost 12

    

Katie wearing her new dress from Spain – two months away from twelve. 

Superheroes

I can’t even tell you how much fun it is to have two little boys at the end of our family.  Love you guys.  

Matthew 3 years old – Luke 4 1/2 years old

Kids Schedule - May

Just wanted to document the day to day after school schedule that is helping to keep us on our toes this month… 

Monday

• 5:00 – 6:30 Katie soccer practice – Chris coaches
• 5:30 – 6:30 Megan soccer practice (different field)
• 6:00 – 7:30 Ryan Ballroom Level 3 practice

Tuesday

• 4:45 – 5:45 Katie Ballroom Level 2 practice
• 5:30 – 6:30 Ryan Soccer Practice – Chris coaches
• 7:00 Ryan Young Mens/Scouts
• 7:00 (every other week) Katie and Emily ‘Activity Days’ Activities
• 7:00 Chris – Bishopric duties

Wednesday

• 3:00 – 4:30 Emily, Katie and Ryan  -- piano lessons
• 3:00 – 4:00 (every other week) Ryan  -- NJHS meetings
• 5:00 – 6:30 Katie  -- soccer practice – Chris coaches  -- Ryan joins in
• 6:30 – 7:30 Megan soccer game

Thursday

• 3:15 – 4:15 (once a month) Ryan, Katie & Emily – Piano Masterclass
• 5:30 – 6:30 Ryan Soccer Practice – Chris coaches

Friday

• Nothing.

Saturday

• 9:00 – 10:30 OR 10:30 – 12:00 Katie soccer game – Chris coaches
• 10:30 – 12:00 OR 1:30 – 3:00 Ryan soccer game – Chris coaches

Mother’s Day

On Sunday I woke up to excited voices singing “Mother I love you, Mother I do…”  and a scrambled omelet breakfast in bed.  Plus, Chris didn’t have bishopric meeting!  What a wonderful way to start a Sunday. 

I got some great Mother’s Day presents but what touched me most was that in each of my children’s Mother’s Day cards was a little note of how much of their spending money they were giving to me, to go towards the flash I’ve been saving up for lately.  It takes them a long time to earn their money and with 50% going to savings and 10% to tithing – what they had each given me was at least six weeks of savings.  Thank you kids!!  I am so lucky to be your mother!  Thank YOU for being the best kids ever!!  Love you guys.

Matthew is Three

Matthew’s birthday landed on a Tuesday this year.  A Tuesday with Ballroom lessons, soccer practice, a Mother daughter Activity Days talent show, scouts and Bishopric stuff.  So a birthday party just wasn’t going to happen.    He still had a great day with a morning of Wii playing and ice cream after lunch.  Luke and I sang to him and he loved the attention.

Two days later from 4:15 to 5:00 we had an ‘opening’ for a quick party.  As soon as Chris got home on Thursday we walked over to the park with cupcakes and presents in hand and celebrated.  Then the rest of us stayed to play at the park when Chris and Ryan left for soccer.

It was so cute to watch Matthew be so excited.  He had more attention that normal since we had four of our friend’s kids staying with us for five days.

For awhile he’s been saying, “When I’m ‘FREE’ then I’ll be weally WEALLY big!”

Some typical Matthew faces… he always squints when he smiles and he always likes to have a ‘crazy picture’ and then see it immediately after.

 

Matthew got too many things for his birthday!

• some Buzz and Woody Legos to add to their growing collection (from Mom and Dad)
• Superman pajamas which he absolutely LOVES (from Mom and Dad)
• some geotrax height track sets (from Ryan, Katie and Megan)
• a stuffed wolf which he immediately named ‘Wolfy’ because Luke has a Wolfy (from Emily and Mom and Dad)
• a MILLENIUM FALCON Star Wars toy with little guys (from Mom and Dad)
• a Cootie’s game (from Nikole and family)
• a fabulous BYU superhero cape (made by Ashlyn)
• a pirate card and 2 lego sets for their collection (from Grandma and Grandpa Walton)
• fun presents which haven’t arrived yet from Grandma and Grandpa Johnson!
• sand/water toys (from our friends, the Gillespies)

Thank you everyone!!

  

Dad took Wolfy and started to play with him.  Wolfy tickled Matt and Matt giggled and giggled.  When he really laughs he just has to cover his mouth with his hands.  It is SOOO cute!

     

Matthew had fun blowing out his candles.  He tried and tried but couldn’t quite do it and he thought it was so funny.  Luke was trying to give him some helpful advice from the side and I think the eventual blow out was a team effort.

Happy Birthday Matt!

   

Bus Stop

Almost the end of school – just wanted to document these four big kids heading off the school.  I’m standing on the front step and can watch the kids turn the corner to the bus stop.  So nice and convenient.  They need to be at the bus at 7:20 each morning. Ryan and Katie to Middle School and Emily and Megan to the Elementary School.

Megan at age Seven

 

ALL ABOUT MEGAN

• Megan has hazely eyes, lots of freckles, naturally wavy hair and lots of teeth missing.
• Megan is pretty fearless.  When she saw Katie get her hair cut it took her all of thirty seconds to decide she wanted hers chopped as well… and she loves it.
• Megan has quite a few admirers at school.   One of them a boy named TIGER.
• Megan’s favorite colors are green and blue
• Megan’s favorite animal is a baby dolphin (it used to be a monkey until we went to Gibraltar and had fantastic adventures with the naughty monkeys – so now it’s a baby dolphin)
• When Megan grows up she wants to be a Ballerina and a teacher (which means I’d better sign her up for ballet lessons one of these days)
• Megan is the fastest girl in her class – or so she tells me.  The boys chase the girls and the girls chase the boys at recess and Megan is key to the girls success.  One day she came home and told me they made a plan for the next day’s recess which consists wholly of ‘Megan needs to wear converse instead of sandals.”
• Megan has LOVED being in soccer this season.  She’s a go-getter, always wants to be on the field, and has a pretty good idea of where she needs to be.  Once when her team practice was cancelled she asked Dad if she could practice with Dad’s team – and he wholeheartedly agreed.  It’s fun to see her so excited about playing.
• Megan’s favorite thing to do with Mom is “make dinner” and favorite thing to do with Dad is “watch BYU”.
• Megan wants 7 kids when she grows up. (This changes daily).
• Megan’s favorite chore around the house is to clean up Luke and Matt’s room.  The worst chore is cleaning up her room (because it’s SO BIG.)  She’s actually really great at cleaning the big bathroom.
• Megan loves school.  She’s been in a 1st-2nd grade multi-age class this year and has really done well.  She loves her teacher, Mrs. Dysinger.  Being in a multi-age class has given her lots of opportunities to do extra activities and bigger projects that other classes don’t have.  She loves Math box and reading and doesn’t like doing homework but she does it without any help from us.
• Megan loves to play Sorry, Bop It, draw, play with her dolls with Emily, do crafts and do puzzles.
• Megan loves Taylor Swift and ColdPlay especially the ‘Paradise’ song… (that’s Luke’s favorite too).
• Megan loves to make up dances and sing with Katie and Emily.  They also love to do the ‘Aten Hut!’ which is a theater game of listening to directions.
• Megan’s favorite stuffed animals are her elephant ‘Tuscany’ and her baby gorilla.
• Megan and Emily’s white beds are side by side right now (instead of bunk beds) which has been a fun change.  Megan LOVES to be tucked in.   A tuck, and tickle, and a kiss, and one more tickle.  And she LOVES when Dad or Mom or both of us sit on her and Emily’s bed at night and read a book, tell a story, read scriptures with her or ask her questions.  She really feels loved if we take the time to sit on her bed with her.
• Megan’s best friend right now is Brooklyn G… a friend from church and in her class.  They are pretty silly together.  Her other favorite friends are David, Jordan, Nadia, Ava and Naomi.
• Megan has just taken an interest in being ‘really cute for school’.  She wants to plan out her outfits and loves to wear crop sweaters and skirts – her favorite being Katie’s pink skirt and grey short sleeve sweater with a tank top underneath.
• Megan can’t wait for summer “because we don’t have school and we can play all day!”
• Megan’s favorite European vacation so far was to Paris.

Sunday afternoon

These five spent the afternoon playing a long game of Monopoly.  Megan and Dad were partners.  It reminded me of so many Sunday afternoons when Scott and Dan and I would play together – sometimes with our calculators instead of money.   Fun times… Ryan, I think I want to play next time!