Mack

Today or should I said last night....

Mack slept through the night......This was the 2nd time he has done so. The frist was the morning when the boys made breakfast.

I was soooo hurting this morning.

Hey baby boy, just send mom a note the next time you want to sleep all night!

letter from the school

Today,Tucker brought home a letter from the school saying that he has two unexcused absents from last Thursday and Friday. I did call in and excuses them for the weekend.

I suspect the other two will get one also. And heads will roll about this, too

Update:

This morning(Wednesday). I had a meeting with Wyatt's speech teacher and his class teacher about speech. He is officially out!

I talked with Wyatt's teacher about the note also. She told me just to lie about their excuse. She has a girl in her class who is always late or absent due to horse shows. She said "just say they are sick"

I also went in and talk with the Secretary about the note that Tucker got. The Principal's secretary was going to change it for them in the system. That was until the attendance secretary came in. BOY was she a .... (well we will just leave it at that:) She didn't change it for me! I told her in my nice voice that it was for a wedding out of state. She didn't care. I brought up the fact that the APS handbook, states that a religious commitment is counted as an excused absent. She didn't buy it.

The Principal's secretary told me not to call in the excuse of being sick. When the boys come back to school, they would have to sit the nurse's office for the whole day, just to make sure they are not contagious.

So walk down the hall on the way to Jace's class to see if he has a note too. I ran into Wyatt's teacher from last year. She tells me that she also got the same note from her two boys being absent two days before Spring Break. She also thought it was dumb, too.

Sure enough Jace has a note too. Talk with his teacher about it too. She didn't understand what what grey area was, either

After that, I walked down to Wyatt's class. Talk with his teacher. She thought it was dumb too.
After that, I walked back into the main building, ran into Jace's kindergarten teachers. They both kidnapped Mack and Justice. Talk with them for a few. They didn't understand either.

Walked down to the chorus concert. Ran in the Mrs. Henwood, the Principal. She didn't understand why we got the letters either. She was going to fix for me. Only on the basis that she knew where the boys were and also their attendance record.
Oh what religious committmet does APS excuse: If APS did not take off for Good Friday or Passover and you are Jewish, then that would be an excused absent.--Mrs. Henwood called district for that answer

So mark this down! When calling to excuse your kids from APS, lie!

The last chorus concert of the year!!

YAY!!
Here are some quick clips of what they did...(please notice how bored my 11 year old looks.. we had words afterwards)

Pack Meeting Treats

Thanks to my mom, the cub scouts were able to have M&M cookies for pack meeting. The boys were all sweet-ed out from our trip. So I used up the M&M's, my mom send with us.

The cub scouts LOVED them!!

Update!!

Complete!

Scroll down and READ!

Now it's on to treats for pack meeting!!

The Chorus Concert for the school on Wednesday

Meet with Wyatt's Speech Teacher on Wednesday morning.

Help Tucker with his "how to" project

Help plan the cub scout pancake breakfast

Help Jason plan Father's and Sons' (the happiest weekend of my life)

Help Jason plan Stake Pioneer Day (it's part of his calling)

Am I crazy to take on the school chorus next year???!

The parent president is not coming back,next year.

Happy Birthday uncle DAVID!!

We miss you at all of the family FUN!

Wyatt

Sunday April 26

Saturday, April 25

We drove up to Grandma & Grandpa Bushman's after the wedding reception. We saw a burned out 18 wheeler on the side of the road.

It was also impromptu Bushman family get together. Dan and Jess were also there. Larry and Jessi were at Grandma's, too.

Here's what they did on Saturday.

The boys went branding with Andrew.
They tried out his new brand.

The cows were a little too big for the branding cage.






Jason, Dan and Andrew had to hold it down. They had a few cows that tried to walk away still in the branding cage.

There was one that got away......

After they were finished and took the cows out to the pasture, Tucker got to help Grandpa down at his shop. I don't know who was more excited--Grandpa or Tucker. Tucker said he got to wash parts for Grandpa and use the rattle wrench. I think Grandpa has a new helper when we come to town. They were both covered in grease when they came back.

We got to expedience this..... A Joe City Wind Storm (YES they are REAL!) and in turn, They all got to expedience a bronchitic attack of Justice's. If you have ever been to our house, or have seen SNUFFY, you know why. -- We bring Snuffy. (If you don't know who Snuffy is... It is a Nubuliezer or breathing machine. Doctors give them to people who have had RSV or bronchitis--meaning Justice). The air was too thick for him to breathe. He was wheezing and having a hard time of breathing.

This time medicine couldn't help. Jason, his dad and his brother gave Justice a blessing. It was 2:30AM when the little boy finally was able to breath normally.

April 24--

Here is what we will miss this weekend

BSA leader training down in Belen

last chorus concert

Ward conference for Alamo branch

RS B-day party, which I wanted to go to

last day of Jason's class

We are going to miss all of this just for Josh. Isn't he special?! It is his wedding weekend in Mesa

Friday, April 24

After the boys worked a little with Grandpa Ray, they got to have some FUN!! Tucker and Jeremy had to fill in a hole in the parking lot for the wedding. Then later, Tucker went with Grandpa to the dump. He thought it was cool! Jason and Kellan mowed 5 lawns before the wedding, with the help of Wyatt. Justice and Jace got to feed Grandma's chickens, some leftover french toast and some day old bread. Jace made the mistake of trying to let a chicken eat out of his hand. He got pecked from the chicken.-- he won't do that again.

Here's what they did:

They all got to ride Kellan's mule bare back!







Counsin KC was fun to play around with. The boys gave him tooo many Starbusts!

Then it was on with Josh & Lucy's wedding:

See all of those glass jars. Tucker, Wyatt, Jace, Jeremy and Matt help Jason, Kellan and Grandpa put more up for the wedding and put new tea candles in them.

Dad and Bishop Snyder waiting for things to start.

The peanut gallery

This is Lucy and her dad....

This is what Mack thought I need to do...

And during the wedding............

The happy couple !!!

Thrusday, April 23

We decided to be out of state tourist on the way to Grandma and Grandpa's house. We had lunch on the Arizona & New Mexico boarder. (Sorry, no pictures) The Boys had fun walking across the rest stop into each state. The bathrooms were on one side and the picnic area was in another state. We were at the Arizona welcome center. There is one place there, that you can walk across each state.

It was a good place to stop for a while and stretch our legs and let the boys run around.

Someone got a hold of my camera... and I found these!

The next stop we were tourist at is Here.....

Can anyone guess the name of it???

All you Arizonans should know where this place is.

And Yes Jace had to find the BIGGEST rock to stand on!!

After we were tourist, we head down to the Valley of the SUN! IT was 95 degrees! We would like to thank Uncle Elton for letting us stay in his new motor home. Jace thought it was cool to sleep under the pull out beds in the middle. He didn't want to share the bed with Wyatt, so we found him under the bed in the morning. Jace called it his cave. --What a nut!

We were happy to see Aunt Jean, up and around after her surgery. We told her that we want her around for a few more years, now that she has had her warranty re-newed.

We had the BEST family dinner. Thanks to the Berryman's for pit roasting the turkeys. They were YUMM-O! And also Aunt Tanya for going a little Martha Stewart on us. It's all good for a bunch of REDNECKs, like us!

On the way to Grandmother's house

The boys helped pack up their clothes after school. I made them a list of what they need to bring. Wyatt helped Justice with his bag. I just LOVE that I didn't have to do it.
I have all of the shirts ironed for Sunday and family pictures.
The boys all needed hair cuts. Tucker will get his this morning. He was at scouts last night.

I think we are ready to go........ just have to pack the cooler full of goodies.

Kids say the darnest things.

I don't even know how this started but here is it......

Some how, on the way home from, the boys got talking about what Grandpa Bushman does. Wyatt said he was a 'car medic' A car medic??? What's a car medic?? It took the car full a while to figure out what a car medic was

According to Wyatt, it is someone who fixes cars that don't work. ...

Oh a car mechanic!!!

it's finished!!

I had to added 5 class list, room for PTA officer elections. I printed it out and What happens??

Justice steps on it. He left a shoe print for me.

today

I finally finished program for celebration of children at 12:45 this morning.

found yet another class list --count up to 5-- darn Tucker found another list in his backpack
Tucker and Wyatt finished up breakfast this morning. we had egg Mcmuffin sandwiches. they had to watch the sausage, take it off when it was done, toast up the English Muffins and cook up some flat eggs. I was busy with Mack who was a mess.

I took the boys to school this morning.. here's what else I did
justice glasses need an adjustment
the car needed a car wash
the car need an oil change
and it needed current tags, the registration was up at the end of this month
all before 9am!

planning with summer for the next month.

cubscouts are coming over for den meetings. We need a kitchen and there is a bapstim. The rooms share the same wall. So see the conflict.

work on the school program at nap time.

a case of the mondays

Today Tucker and all of the 5th grade classes went to the Sandia Peak. They were taking a 2 mile hike up around the peak. Tucker was prepared. He packed up his backpack the night before.

I ran to the store, before anyone was awake, for milk, eggs and lunch stuff. Somehow, we went through a package of cookies BEFORE breakfast. No, the boys didn't eat them FOR breakfast. They put them in their lunches. And it was just one of those $1 packages of cookies.... not many in them.

For dinner tonight, I had a request..... FRITO PIE. We will use the left over chips from the High Priest social for dinner. It is going to be all about leftovers this week.

This is what happens when Mom is busy working on the program for school:

sunday

jason went to sorrocco for speaking assignment

shirts done for church

mack got a bath in the kitchen sink

got to church on time with all of boys

tucker did good with mack, who was asleep

tucker go to home teaching with dad

homework with jace and wyatt

saturday or the day mom will live thur

matthew and jacob came over at 7am
primary activity at 10

diaper party for little boys. matthew was stinky, so he need to be changed, Mack was stinky, so he needed to be changed, Justice decide he need to be changed, too. He was clean,too/

jason went to work
house looks like a tornado hit it--what can aspect when 7 boys are running through it

jason went to mountain man rondeuve, he got sunburned on his arms.

boys fold laundry when in trouble - I have discovered, by accident. There is something that will stop the fighting and picking on each other in my house. It is called LAUNDRY! When two boys are fighting with each other, finger pointing of 'he did, no he did'. They get a basket of laundry to fold. Everyday, I just happen to have one or two just ready for them. (note, sometimes they have to do other things too) By the time, the basket is empty, they are not fighting with each other. And mom has less work to do!

clean the house -something told me to get it done before we left for the museum!

Go with the cub scouts to the Natural History Museum

They also found an exhibit on how to make earthquakes. There is an area that you can JUMP on to make your own earthquake.

high priest social

two families knocking on door when we got home

move cars around...My car went into the garage and the pickup went in to dead end of the street.

make lemonade for dinner--Justice helped. He pulled over the huge container of powered lemonade. It went right over the top of him onto the floor. So what does my ingenious kid do?? He gets the carpet vacuum and tries to clean it up. I grabbed the hard floor vacuum and clean it all up. Brother Stien walked in, right as I was finishing.

I think I embarrassed Brother Stien. I was feeding Mack, but I was covered and talking on the phone to Jason. Brother Stein had asked for a plate for the done food. When he realized what I was doing, he turned red and walk back outside.

jason home 4minutes to 6o'clock

everyone LOVE the backyard.None of the little kids wanted to go home. Some where calling it a playground. Some of the adults were amazed and in awe over the swing set.

mom collapsed in a heap!

morning scripture reading

This morning, Wyatt got a little frazzled about what he was reading. He was reading this verse in Mosiah
And now it came to pass that all this was done in Mormon, yea, by the waters of Mormon, in the forest that was near the waters of Mormon; yea, the place of Mormon, the waters of Mormon, the forest of Mormon, how beautiful are they to the eyes of them who there came to the knowledge of their Redeemer; yea, and how blessed are they, for they shall sing to his praise forever.

His comment was "Mom why is everything called Mormon?"

I explain it to him, that this whole area must be called Mormon, the water, the river, and the forest. Instead of naming each one differently, they called everything in this area Mormon.

The rest of the week and so on

Here's what's on the books for the rest of the week....

Today- Chorus for Tucker and Wyatt. Need to print out the program for it. Jason had High Council.

Friday-Fun Day for Wyatt. His class is celebrating the end of standard testing. Jason has his class, only one more left. Mountain Man Rondavue overnight camp out for Jason.

Saturday- Watching Jacob and Matthew. the primary activity at 10am, the cub scout field trip at 3;30, High Priest Social at 6pm,here at the house.

Sunday- Jason has his speaking assignment in the Socorro Ward.

And did I mention that Jason's work got a DOT audit. We won't see him till Monday.

I also have to get the program finalized for the Chorus performance on next Thursday night. And get propane for the BBQ for Saturday.

The boys got the last two cardboard pizzas for dinner.

Be Prepared

I try to teach to the boys to be prepared for anything. In each of the cars, we keep a store bought first aid kit. Most of the time,the first aid kits get broken into and things magically disappear... like the band aids, and first aid tape and somehow the snake bite kit.--I am not even going to wonder about that one.

On the way home from school, just down the street from the school, a girl was riding her scooter home from school. We see dozens of kids either walk or ride down the hill from school.

Somehow this girl's shoe (which were not tie) came off her foot. She tripped on her shoe and somehow did a somersault with her scooter and slid down the sidewalk.

We saw the aftermath of it all. We saw other kids running back to the school to get help and other parents stop for help too.

The girl has road rash on her legs and one arm and a gash on her head, right at her hair line. The gash is about the width of a fork prong.

I broke out the ravaged first aid kit to see what we had to help with. One mom was using her sweatshirt to stop the bleeding. I got a thick piece of gauze for her head. If this was one of my kids, I would have just clean it up and butterflied it. But this wasn't.

Soon the principal and the school nurse showed up. The principal had call the fire department. It got to the point, that our help wasn't needed anymore. So we left.

Tucker wanted to practice his boy scout first aid on this girl. I didn't let him. He was more use in the car with the boys. This was a girl that Tucker nor Wyatt saw everyday, but neither couldn't remember her name.

A couple thoughts as I drove away was, this won't have happen, if she had worn a helment. The city does have a helment law for a reason. And the boys have done that a zillions times,too. Why did the fire department needed to be called??... that was overkill. I need to restock the frist aid kit with better things. I need a new pair of pants. I ripped mine when I was tending to this girl.

Update:(Thursday)
Tucker said Katilyn (that's the girl) was at school. She just had a large band aid on her head. Tucker said that she didn't play at recess, either.

Time well spent!!!

So yesterday, I had a few errands to run after I picked up the boys from school. Normally, I would have done them before I picked up the boys, but I needed Wyatt for one of them.

First one was to mail Alex's package off to him. I looked on line to find a post office close to the school and on the way to the LDS bookstore. Luckily, I found two! Printed off directions to one of them.

So pick up the boys from school, head over to the post office.

Grab the package and a few boys, the rest were in the car with the radio on. Walk into the post office with Justice and Jace. The line was a good 15 people long!! (debate in head about the line) then looked around (think seems like a new post office), then find it. A self serve weight station. watch the lady at that counter ( HMMM, I thought) if that works, I will do that instead. Tucker comes in for the keys, some how the radio went off. Watch the lady more... Jace went out the car. Good! she's done. Put package on scale, follow the directions on screen (like an ATM machine), scale machine even scanned the box for measurements, too. ran my debit card, print out postage for box. Justice was pulling strips of paper out of the trash bin. Box weights 7.8 pounds (what can I say, it was Easter junk!). Put box into package slot, walked out with Justice. Justice opened the doors for his mom. He push the handicapped buttons. (he has been watching me too much)

Tell me I am not the only one who doesn't know about this....It was soo nice not to stand in that line. I was in and out in under 10 minutes! Jason didn't know about it either.

After I was done, I had a few thoughts: Why was I stupid to go to the post office on a Monday at 3pm, especially a Monday after a holiday?? I was just up for punishment. And Why can't the post office my house have one of those?? They only have one guy at the counter.

Second errand was to the LDS bookstore, I had to exchange the Easter book for Wyatt. He has gotten into a series of books called "Who's your hero?" The Easter Bunny got him one he already had.

Speaking of books for Easter.. here's what the others got

Tucker got this book.. It is perfect for him. He is always asking Why? on gospel topics and some of his questions stump Jason and I. He was all excited about his book. He even showed Jason and I a picture about what happens if you take meth. (Yup, it is talked about in this book... right along with the Word of Wisdom) The book is called WHY??

Jace got this book White Shirts. I have been debating about this book for Jace. I finally broke down and got it. I read it and it brought tears to my eyes. ( Jason said, I am just a big boob when it comes to my boys and things like this) The book tells about important dates or milestones in boy's life. Like a baby blessing, getting baptized, receiving the priesthood -- all from their father. Yes, I cry when it comes to things like that!

Justice got this book. He walks around asking "Mom wherd Noah? wherd Noah?

April Showers brings .....

ROAD Rash!!

we call him " Crash dumby" now!

The story goes like this (just from what I have been told) Tucker, Wyatt and Jace were out riding their bikes after the rain storm. Tucker 'drifted' on his bike. (drifting to them means... riding as fast as you can cutting a corner or a turn fast and skiting your tire). Jace was at the top of the street, trying to ride fast down the hill of the street. Somehow, he locked up his tires and crashed!

Luckily the neighbor lady was out pulling weeds in her yard and help Jace out of the street and bandaged him up. Wyatt came back home to tell us what happened. Jason went up to rescue Jace. He also has a scratched up hand too, from where he fell.

On Sunday, he didn't want to go to church because he didn't want anyone to make fun of him. Jason reminded him that his church pants would cover it.

So, this morning, what does he do???? Wear shorts.....

hay! what's a battle wound to a boy!!

My First Easter

Thanks to Great Grandma Bushman, I was dressed up for this special day..

Aren't I a lady killer or What??!

This year...

We have been trying to teach the boys what the TRUE meaning of certain holidays are... Like Christmas and Easter
This past week, starting on last Sunday, We talked over dinner what Palm Sunday meant... Then later in the week, we talk, yet again over dinner about what the Passover meant and Good Friday. I think they all knew what those days meant, too. Just need a refresher about it.

On Saturday, we started the following FHE lesson. Tucker got into reading the scriptures with Jason about it all.
Jace made the comment, at bedtime "Mom, it's kinda sad that Jesus's friends put him in the tome and couldn't see him ever again. And it's kinda sad that we didn't get a cookie tonight. (see the lesson for detail)

Easter Sunday Morning came...no Easter Bunny!
We finished the lesson. The boys were shocked to see the cookies still in the oven from last night. And their cookies were hallow!
The Easter Bunny didn't come until after church., Just like Santa Clause-- He doesn't come until after church either.


I would like to thank the person who I got the email from.... THANKS ROY!! as in Jami's DAD! Your simple email taught the boys allot about Easter. We hope to continue this next year!!

Easter Activites......

Subject: Easter Story Cookies
May the Lord watch between me and thee while we are absent, one from the other.
Easter Story Cookies
To be made the evening before Easter. This is a great recipe to teach your Children or visiting relatives or friends the REAL story of Easter. Teach them that the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior is not dead, but
He Has Risen.
You will need:
· 1c. whole pecans
· 1c. sugar
· 1 tsp. vinegar
· tape
· 3 egg whites
· wooden spoon
· pinch salt
· zipper baggie
Now grab an Apron and let's get started.
Preheat oven to 300 (this is important - don't wait till you're half done with the recipe)

Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces.
Explain that after Jesus was arrested He was beaten by the Roman soldiers.
Read John 19:1-3

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink.
Read John 19:28-30
Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life.
Read John 10:10-11
Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.
Read Luke23:27
So far the ingredients are not very appetizing.
Add 1c. Sugar.
Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know this and how to belong to Him.
Read Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.
Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.
Read Matt.27:57-60
Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed.
Read Matt.27:65-66

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.
Read John 16:20 and 22
On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow!
On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty!
Read Matt.28:1-9

let's go fly a kite

Oh, oh, oh!
Let's go fly a kite
Up to the highest height!
Let's go fly a kite and send it soaring
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let's go fly a kite!
Mary Poppins

look all three!

Wyatt

Tucker

Jace

Justice