Sunday Snippets

Our Last Few Weeks in Review

I spent a really long time building this Jack Skellington for Derik.  I found some plans online and then used a little of my own creative juices and modified those plans.   He turned out just about perfect. He's somewhere around 7 feet tall. 

 After I finished up Jack I started making frames for all of our very large builder grade mirrors.  I thought it was going to be a simple project but it became rather comical when I kept having problem after problem after problem.  First I repeatedly cut the wood molding in the wrong direction, even though I thought I was cutting it right, then once I had the first frame cut, glued together and painted, I placed it on the counter of the bathroom while I opened up the liquid nails adhesive.  The stubborn liquid nails bottle wasn't working right and while I was working on that the frame fell off the counter and broke apart.  After I carefully glued it back together and stuck the frame to the mirror I noticed the top board was bowing, (I thought I had the most ingenious fix) so I wrapped our shower curtain rod in a cloth and used it to hold the board straight while the liquid nails dried.  Several hours later I took the shower curtain rod down only to watch the cloth I used to protect the paint rip it all off instead (I'm not sure how I'm going to fix that one since the frame is permanently on the mirror and I used a copper spray paint, I don't think touching up my mistake is going to be clean or easy!) and the top board popped right back into the bowed position.  So even though my first mirror frame is somewhat of a disaster, it hasn't deterred me from attempting to make a second. 

Here's a few before and after photo's.

 

Our children have been  on a destructive rampage.  Late one night the Mr. and I heard a rather large thump upstairs, I assumed it was Isaac, because he loves to jump from his headboard onto his bed.  As I went upstairs to scold him I heard Alivia in her room having a hysterical fit, I assumed Isaac had done something to make her mad and she had pushed him and that's why we had heard a thud.
This happens to be the scene I saw when I opened the boys bedroom door...

Apparently Isaac was teaching Alivia how to belly dive from his headboard onto the mattress.  Alivia did it with such gusto that the bed just broke apart! She was upset enough with her self that I didn't feel it necessary to get upset with her. 
A few days before Isaac took one of the boards from under his bed and beat a hole in the wall during one of his time outs, so now I have the opportunity to learn how to replace/repair drywall.

The Mr had his 34th birthday.  He's such a lucky man (LOL), I made him an Oreo poke cake with gummy worms, that's right I rock the birthday cake business!

We took the kids out to see Despicable Me II, it was fun to get out as a family, we don't do that much these days.  

I always wait until Halloween Evening to try and do everything, I really need to learn to plan better, I was carving pumpkins, cooking pizzas and trying to get kids ready to go trick or treating.
Dylan picked a dragon for his pumpkin, I drew it and he carved what he could, I finished up the smaller more delicate parts of the carving.

 Alivia wanted an Ariel pumpkin, so I carved this one for her.

Dylan stayed home and passed out candy, while Derik and I walked the three little ones around the block.  Alivia was a butterfly (again) and Isaac was batman.  I didn't even bother dressing Abrielle this year (isn't that sad!).  Maybe next year I'll have it together.

 Jack was a huge hit with the few people that ventured down our street to trick or treat.

I've officially had my wedding ring for 12 years now, which is more than impressive since I have managed to lose every piece of jewelry I've owned. 

I received another teaching calling.  I was asked to teach the third Sunday lesson in Relief Society, I'm super nervous but excited!

The weather has finally cooled down and I remember why I look forward to Novembers in Houston.  It's so nice!

Alivia and Dylan both went to the dentist...Finally...And both were cavity free!

Abrielle is 9 months old.  I really can't believe she's been here with us for that long, time is flying! 
She's such a great little girl, one minute she's sweet and cuddly and the next she is being an obnoxious turkey and loving every second of it!  She has a super cheesy grin and a deafening high pitched scream when she thinks her needs are not being met.  She is very much a momma's girl.  She's crawling everywhere and eats any and everything that's on the floor.  She likes to eat, especially Oreo's....I should probably be ashamed that she's even had a cookie at this age, but she is my fourth and I bend a lot of rules just to keep the peace around here!

She's Mobile, He's Not

Thankfully she hasn't figured out she can go where ever she wants yet, she's content to just scoot/crawl around in what ever room I put her. 

Derik had surgery on both his feet four weeks ago.
He had some ligaments fixed in his right ankle and his left foot had a screw removed from his big toes previous bunion surgery.   

Before

After

He's making great progress towards recovery.  The Dr. said the surgery went well and that he was even able to pull out pieces of bones that were floating around his ankle.
The first week of being a cripple was a long one for Derik (and me as well), he doesn't enjoy sitting around doing nothing.  He's finally done with his crutches now as well, so he can get around a little better too.  He's not been allowed to drive since his surgery, but hopefully next week he will get the okay to resume driving again.   I've missed having his help and I have definitely missed having family and friends around for help and support.  We are crossing our fingers after a little physical therapy he'll be back to 100 percent!

The Reason I Haven't Blogged

I discovered the joy of making furniture.  And when a new passion grabs a hold of me all other things get pushed aside for a while.  We've needed a larger kitchen table for a while but I could never find something I liked, that was affordable and durable too.  After making my boys beds, I decided why not just build a table and chairs?  And so for the past two months or so I have spent every free second putting our new dining set together.
I still have a bench and two chairs waiting to be finished, but I've finished what we need to all be able to sit down together and I love it!  Flaws and all!
Someday I'll go back and remake things with better wood and more patience, but for now I'm learning, and buying 2x4 (6, 8,) lumber is cheap so I'm not braking the bank either.  

The Table 

After I put the table top together I decided to tear it apart and rebuild it, because it wasn't perfect, Major mistake! I got frustrated with the natural staining process I was trying as well.  So while its off square, warped, splotchy and Abrielle has already chewed chunks out of the edge I love this table, it's just chuck full of "character"!

The Chairs

It took me forever to build these things!   They were a lot of work and they really show my lack of patience and skill, but having said that I'm impressed and proud I actually made them, they were not an easy build nor did I have exact plans to work with. 

The Bench

Another creation of mine.  I thought the "X" legs it sits on would  tie everything together, but after building it I think I will go back and just do regular legs and make the support beams underneath make the "X" instead.

Dining Set in its Entirety

While I didn't build this super cute growth chart ruler, I did stain it, so I'll add it to my list of things completed.

A close up of the stained numbers, I thought they turned out just beautifully!

I have a list about a mile long for things I would like to build, for now I'm taking a small break from wood and have started working on a PVC Halloween prop of Jack Skellington. 

I'm not the only one building either.  I let my kids do whatever they wish with my scrap wood.  Dylan really shows his creative ability with things like that.  He built this bridge all by himself.

He build a boat as well but I didn't get a picture of it before he destroyed it playing "Godzilla" with it at our pool. He was worried it wouldn't float so he attached some of those air packets that people use to protect products while being shipped to the bottom.  He also cut up Styrofoam noodles and attached them to the top to look like steam vents.  I love his imagination and creative abilities. 

First and Fifth

 First Day of School.

The first morning of school went as smoothly as possible.  It wasn't until we almost reached the bus stop that I realized I hadn't taken any photos, so I raced home and grabbed my "cell" and grabbed a few shots before the school bus arrived...Phew!

First

Alivia was so excited for school to start again.  She even learned how to flat iron her hair. She was so proud that she did her own hair for school! 

Her teacher is Mrs. Teschendorf, I've heard great things about her and so far Alivia has loved having her. 

Here is her first day of school interview.

Fifth

Dylan had some trepidation about going back to school, and wasn't nearly as excited as Alivia to start school.  He will have four teachers this year.  He really loves his homeroom teacher Mrs Mosier, and excluding a couple of emotional breakdowns, he has been enjoying the new school year and new friends he's made.
Here is his first day of school interview.

These two were good sports sitting at the bus stop with me.  Isaac was broken hearted when I didn't let him board the bus.  Let's hope he is as enthusiastic about going to school and getting on a bus when he turns five. 

After the bus left I took Isaac and Abrielle on a stroll around our lake.  It was raining ever so softly and there was a beautiful rainbow, I thought it was a sign of good things to come, little did I know the rain storm we were going to get caught in later that day.

When it came time to get the kids from the school bus later that afternoon the sky was dark and cloudy.  Had the bus not been almost twenty minutes late, everything would have been just fine, but as luck would have it about two minutes before the school bus arrived the heavens opened wide and a downpour started.  We walked home in the pouring rain and were all soaked to the bone! 
We haven't started homework yet, so so far its been a great thing having the kids back in school.  I even had one day were Isaac and Abrielle both napped at the same time, and for an hour or so I had peace and quiet, it was so nice!

Summer Snippets

Where did the summer go?  My kids start school tomorrow and I can hardly believe it.
We spent a great deal of June hanging out in our neighborhood pool.
Come July we found ourselves on a road trip to Utah.  It was really important for me to make it back there this summer, and up until a day or two before we left I wasn't sure I was going to make it.  Thankfully things worked themselves out and I hurriedly packed the barest of necessities and left on a Wednesday afternoon.  I drove with the four kids for about 11 hours until we reached Lubbock Texas, where we checked into a hotel.  My nerves were totally shot from driving that far on a route I'd never been before, all by myself, knowing I still had two full days of travel ahead of me.  I'm surprised I even slept my anxiety was so high. 
The kids on the other hand had a great time swimming in the pool and watching the Disney channel (we have never had cable). 

             Since I was wrangling all the kids alone I didn't bother packing a camera, so cell phone pictures are all I have. 

I attempted twice to venture out to buy pizza but both times we found the restaurants had just closed.  The hotel we stayed in was fairly new and nice, but some of the surrounding neighborhoods were swarming with cops and gangsters, which didn't do a lot to help sooth my frazzled nerves. 
I didn't tell the kids where we were going, so it was fun to hear them guess and come up with theories.
The next morning we hit the road again.  About three hours into the drive we crossed into Albuquerque and the kids were ecstatic to learn we were headed to my sister's home there. We arrived in time to join my sister and some friends at a Fourth of July BBQ.  The kids finally learned that we were headed for Utah and they were so HAPPY, they have missed their grandparents and friends and cousins so much. 
My sister Heidi was kind enough to let us crash a day or so at her place and then we followed her up to Utah.  It was nice knowing I wasn't all alone. 
Maybe because I had been on the road for so long, or maybe I was just so anxious to get to Utah, but it felt like it took a lifetime to finally get there. 
We visited friends, and spent time with family.
Abrielle got both her bottom teeth. 

We went to dollar shows and an outdoor showing of UP in the mountains.
We had cousin sleepovers. 
We got together with old neighbors and had play dates.  
We got to attended our old church ward and got to catch up with old friends.

I cut my hair off, and wish I would have done it sooner.  Thanks to my sister Cozy for using one of her many talents to give me a set of beautiful lashes too. 

 Just a before shot of the hair, no after ones, my apologies.

We spent many a days at Seven Peaks Waterpark. 
We ate crap food, we laughed, we cried, we fought, and we played games.
We played around at the Highland splash park.  Where Alivia had the misfortune of splitting her head open.  Thankfully some super glue and some extra kind cousins made everything better. 

There were lemonade stands, and snail races.

 

There were fireworks and Pioneer Day.
There was the special privilege of being able to attend my sister Cozette's Patriarchal Blessing and the trips to the temple with my mom and all my sisters! 
Uncle Nyles took the kids to a Bee's baseball games and equipped them with baseball caps.

We got to meet Nyles baby girl Maicee, and Abrielle got to meet her Grandpa Ward, her Aunt Cozy, her Uncle Nyles and Uncle Eric, her great grandmothers Meda, and Blanche and her Grandma Diane and Grandpa Ernie.
I got my Indian food fix with my older brother Eric.
I had a date night with some old and very dear friends.
We had an unofficial family reunion of sorts too, it was great to get together with so many of our extended family.

Thanks Heidi for the great photos!

 After three plus weeks of partying it up it was time to go back home, because as much as we LOVE Utah and our friends and our family, there is no place like your own home.  Thankfully Derik flew in and drove us home.  I was determined to do my part of the driving so I started us off.  I drove six hours before I got to tired to drive any further, so I passed the wheels over to Derik.  He drove the rest of the way home which amounted to 24 more hours of driving.  30 hours in a car with four kids and a nursing infant is just way to LONG!  Pretty sure I wont be doing that voluntarily again, but we made it home safe and sound thankfully.  Three college boys doing the same trip we were, were not as fortunate as us and died in a one vehicle crash.

We have spent the last month or so baking in the Houston heat, IT IS SO HOT.
We've shopped for school supplies and school clothes. 
We've sweated!

I started reading parenting books....Four kids is like living inside a tornado and I simply don't know what to do with myself or the kids.
In my spare time I've been attempting to build us a new dining set.
We had meet the teacher night.
Dylan and I had the Sex talk...Sort of...
Alivia is thrilled to go back to school, Dylan not so much.  Having the kids back in school will be bitter sweet for me, hopefully more sweet than bitter this time around.
Summer, you came and went and we all survived, and quite frankly I find great satisfaction in saying that. 

Rice Cereal