Dinner Guests and Gardens

A couple of weeks ago we had a pleasant surprise of hosting Rinar's cousin Ranel, Kathy, and their daughter Ananda for Sunday dinner. It was nice to have them come over. Ranel had a lot of stories about Rinar's dad Lynn. He remembered Lynn from when he was a little kid and when Lynn was a bit of a wild child. It was fun to hear stories about him. Ranel was full of stories and it was nice to remember. 

He also had us test out a new game he has created called Treasures of Freedom. It helps you to memorize important documents in American history. We played the Gettysburg Address version and it seemed like the kids really enjoyed it. Kathy even took a little video and put it on their website. 

After dinner with them, the week just got crazy busy. I don't even know what happened. It is kind of a blur. I guess this is what happens when I enter my project mode. I kind of get tunnel vision a bit. But first, this is a cute picture I took of Noelle at the library with her dirty, booger nose.

Mother's Day was really nice. On the Saturday before, Rinar was playing with the kids and they composed a percussion piece for me. It was pretty darn hilarious. They were all pounding on their different kitchen "instruments" and having a great time.

All of my kids made me a card that listed all of the reasons why they love me so much. I think some version of food made it onto all of their lists. Haha! They love food as much as me. 

We also had my brother and sister and their families over for dinner and were able to Facetime our mom for Mother's Day. It was an enjoyable conversation with her and Dad.

Then on Monday I had to take the boys down to Provo to do year-end testing. Since they are doing a charter school homeschool, it was a requirement. It was actually a good thing for them to take an official test. They have never done that before in their lives. It was a two day test so Monday and Tuesday were pretty booked for that. I had to find things for the little kids to do while we waited for them to finish. On Monday I took them kicking and screaming to Bridal Veil Falls. None of them were very happy about going on a walk, but Harry was especially not happy. This picture was at the exact spot where we turned around and went back.

On Tuesday we hung out with Catye and Paul at the park.  It was an enjoyable visit and the weather was magnificent. I was also able to see Catye's cute apartment. She has done a fabulous job decorating.

Now I did mention the whole project-mode thing. Yep, we put in a large garden in our backyard. There used to be a playground there. It came with the house. I decided to sacrifice it and sell it on KSL. Luckily, we live exceptionally close to a city park and our neighbors across the street have a playground, sandpit, and trampoline that the kids can play on and believe me, they do. The nice thing is that I can see them from the kitchen window. I was never able to see the kids in my own backyard. I think this is really working out a lot better.

It was a whole lot of work to get the garden ready for planting. I had to move all of the ground cover. Then I got humus at Home Depot and Rinar picked up a truck load of compost from a neighbor. Once it was all laid out, I started to turn all of the soil. I didn't have a darn tiller. But at least I was burning a lot of calories.

Fortunately, Ryan and Lindsey M. have a tiller and he let me borrow it since I still had about 40% left to turn. I had the garden plot ready by Wednesday and then planted it. I am using the square-foot gardening method. We also planted three fruit trees and some strawberry plants. When I planted the garden I had all of the kids come out and plant something. They have been really interested in it and have been watching every day for the seeds to sprout up. I sure hope I start to see something soon. I know that they will be really excited.

It is interesting to be able to actually have a garden. I am really excited about it. And as I have been laboring over this for the past two weeks, I can't help but draw parallels to child-rearing. Just like these plants are now so tender, so are my children. It takes lots of care and nurturing to get them to grow strong roots and to be fruitful. But I am really enjoying the journey.

Spring Break Surprises

Spring break ushered in a week of beautiful weather. All the neighborhood kids were home so we did minimal schoolwork. Warm weather and friends meant it was time to play a bit. I invited kids over to do water bottle rockets and share a treat. We had root beer floats and a blast shooting bottles up into the sky. The water is pretty cold from the garden hose so I added some hot water from the sink to take the edge off.

We also went to the park a lot and I caught this sweet little scene on the grass. Harry went to Noelle, who was on a blanket, and was holding her, cuddling her, and kissing her. She was pretty tired so she wasn't too keen on the kissing. But she sure loves her big brother Harry.

I just love this candid moment I captured of Zach with Noelle. He just loves her and slathers her with kisses and attention. Precious moment.

We got some last minute visitors Friday night. Nordel and Brooke came up with their kids to attend a funeral. Brooke's grandfather passed away. They left the kids with us and attended the wake. Our little kids had a blast playing with their cousins. When Brooke and Nordel returned, we were able to play some games and have a little bit of fun. It was also a lot easier to accomplish because we had all the kids in bed and asleep before they got home.

And then on Saturday I decided to organize a simple Easter egg hunt at our local park. I sent out the word and told participants to bring 12 eggs per child. Then all the parents went out into the field and hid the eggs. It was a mad dash for the goods. As you can see, Zach was especially exuberant about the awesome egg hunt. Lots of kids came, it was very laid back, and we were able to visit with our neighbors for a bit. It was a successful morning.

After lunch on Saturday we had the privilege of doing yard work. Wahoo!  I cut down my rose bush and some hedges and the kids pulled weeds. Rinar helped to get trash loaded up into the truck and we were able to check the sprinklers and fertilize the lawn. This can only mean one thing, summer is fast approaching.

On Sunday morning before we went to church, Rinar got a call from his other brother Lyf. He asked to stay at our house that night. He was taking Bryn on a rock-hunting expedition up our way for Monday. That was a nice surprise. After a wonderful church service, it was fun to have more visitors, including Mike and Catye for an Easter dinner of meatloaf and mashed potatoes. 

The week was fun and full of pleasant surprises.

Catching Up

One of the perks of moving to Utah is that people actually pass through and sometimes stop for a visit. It is awesome. We always had lots of visitors when we lived in Henderson but it got pretty lonely out in the middle of nowhere Reno.  Reno really is not on the way to anything.

So it was a real treat to have Leslie, Greg, and their four adorable tots visit us for a few hours. They had gone to Vegas and were heading back to Canada. Luckily for us, Draper is right on the way.  The kids played and we were able to catch up after all these years. I was fortunate to meet Leslie when she was a newlywed to Greg and started coming to the Sunset Ward. I spoke at her baptism and we served in the Primary presidency together. I think she is about the nicest, sweetest, most genuine woman I have ever had the privilege of knowing.  I am very blessed to call them my friends. She had Caleigh two weeks before Eli was born. And all of her other kids are just about the same age as my little ones.

There they are back together again. What a cute couple!

We were also able to celebrate the end of the football season for the Corner Canyon gray team. Coach Jeff and all the boys were a positive influence on Raef. It was a great season for him and he has really grown. He loves football more than ever.

Uncle John

Uncle John just left to go home to St. Louis.  Rinar's uncle decided he really wanted to visit us and help us out with the new baby and all the chaos that ensues.  This was an unexpected surprise and I wasn't sure how it would go, considering the fact that I had just given birth. But I am really glad that he came.

The day before he arrived I was complaining to Rinar about how yucky I felt. I just felt like I was drowning.  The house was in complete disarray, I felt lousy (of course), and I really felt like my life was spiraling out of control. You know when there is just so much to do and you don't even know where to begin?  This is the state I found myself in last week. It wasn't postpartum depression or anything. I was just feeling very overwhelmed.  

And then we were slated to host a visitor.  Oh boy. I was feeling a bit anxious. But when John got here and we sat down and talked for a while, I realized that he was just what I needed. He was the shot in the arm to get me going.  We had a wonderful conversation and I felt reinvigorated. There is just something about visiting with friends and positive people that really helps me.  

John stayed for about a week and played for hours with my little kids. They just loved him and were constantly asking me where he was. He would play dolls with Julia or draw princesses for her to color, or he would get down on the floor and play Legos with Harry and Eli. Everyone was happy that he was here and it freed me to just spend time with Noelle, time I was very grateful to have.

It was really nice to reconnect with him. I don't think we had seen him for at least a couple of years. Family is such a blessing.

I Braved the Great Salt Lake

There is always something adventurous to do in your own backyard. Now this may not look very adventurous, but I would really put it right up there: swimming in the Great Salt Lake.

I think it would be safe to say that the Great Salt Lake is not a big beach destination for anyone.  And there is a good reason for that.

I got a surprise email from my homeschool friend Kelly R. She lives in Reno and her family is top-notch.  They were planning a trip to Yellowstone and wanted to make a stop in Salt Lake City, because their oldest son Adam really wanted to swim in the Great Salt Lake.  Crazy kid.  He had heard that you really float in the water and he wanted to try it out.

We were game. They got to our house Sunday, August 4, late. Then after a delicious pancake breakfast, we hit the road for Antelope Island, which is on the way to Yellowstone.

Antelope Island has a lot of wildlife living there, including a herd of bison.  And yes, we did get to see one bison out on the lonely prairie.

After a buffalo burger lunch, everyone headed down to the "beach". 

As you arrive at the seashore, you are greeted by a phalanx of tiny flies: the official welcoming committee of this wondrous body of uber-salty water.  I walked past them as fast as I could. It was like Moses parting the Red Sea.  The water is pretty shallow and nice and warm.  And there are these tiny krill floating everywhere in the water.  That is all that can live in this exceptionally salty water.

I was a little late to the swimming party and had to walk out quite a ways to where everyone was. I also was commanded to bring a towel because if you get any water near your eyes, it does not feel so good.

This is Gabrielle floating, toes high up out of the water.

And Rachel. She just loved the floating action.

Marc was not as thrilled as his kids were about being in the lake, but he was still a good sport.

Kelly wasn't going to miss the chance to float. She did it but then she was out of there.

And Zach...

Oh look. There is Marc. Look at those feet!

When I started walking out of the lake, I started to panic just a tiny bit inside of myself.  The whole idea of it just started to gross me out. And then I waited for those rotten kids to get out of the water and they sure took their time. Meanwhile, those Moses flies started attacking me, coating me, harassing me.  I almost went bonkers.  

Forget water boarding. This lake is really America's answer to updated, humane torture techniques. At least I think so.

We made sure to get a picture with everyone before we parted ways. I hope they come back soon. We just love this family.  Hey, they love to ski and I have heard the skiing is fairly good around here.

But in all seriousness, everyone must swim in the Great Salt Lake one time in their lives.  I did my tour of duty, and it was a worthwhile, fun adventure.

Bart and Family

We had some house guests again this weekend.  It was loads of fun.  Bart and Monica and their four kids came and stayed with us Friday and Saturday. They left Sunday morning.  Rinar met Bart because of his recent interest in triathlons. They have competed in several races together. Rinar has a triathlon group and they do lots of races together.

Why not come for a visit?  Monica also has an uncle in town, so they had several people to visit, I guess.  My kids loved their kids. It was a really good match up.  Eli hung out with their Zachary, Harry and Julia played with Sophia, and Raef and Zach kept busy doing stuff with Natalie and Josh.

Of course, we had to go and see some of the sights.  We headed to Lake Tahoe and went to Sand Hollow.

 It was a hit!  They climbed on the rocks and then played for quite a while in the sand. There was a militant Canadian goose that we had to take on, as it seemed to think we were required to bring it food.  But besides that, it was pretty peaceful.  The weather was absolutely perfect.

Then we did a loop through Carson City and Virginia City.

Other highlights included going on a hike and doing absolutely nothing.

They left this morning and now we are left with loads of packing for our upcoming move. Can't wait.

A Week With Friends

We had a great time this last week because of some special visitors.  Dwan, Elizabeth, Josh, and Grace came to spend the week with us from Las Vegas. It was so awesome.  

After a Tuesday afternoon arrival, we went sledding on Wednesday. It would have been a lot of fun, but the wind was rotten. It was terrible the way the wind whipped down the hill. As soon as I got the little ones out, they started crying emphatically and wouldn't stop. As Rinar was pulling the sled, Julia was lying face down crying her eyes out. She was not happy.

But we stayed for about an hour and had some fun. Our friends had fun and that is all that matters.  But we soon were done and then we got the heck out of there.

We headed over to Lake Tahoe and ate some lunch at some dive in King's Beach.  Then we went home and relaxed. Well, the boys relaxed. Elizabeth and I went shopping: Charming Charlie's, Walmart, and the Goodwill Bookstore.  Elizabeth was in heaven at the bookstore and apparently I have now been assigned to be her personal book shopper.  Okay, I guess I will if you are going to twist my arm.

Rinar went back to work on Thursday, and I had stuff to do, like co-op and violin lessons.  So they did their own thing. Then Elizabeth helped me clean up the house and get it ready for my monthly dinner group.  I was hosting this month with a theme of tapas.  We hung out with the ladies, while the boys (and Grace) went to dinner and a movie.

We finished off Friday by going on a long hike together. Brown's Creek Trail goes behind our house and it was perfect. The air was crisp, the day was beautiful.  Harry really wanted to go, so I decided to take him, as Josh (being a typical teenager stayed home with Julia). He is a pretty strong walker and he did well.  Harry walked all the way up the mountain and then either I or Rinar carried him the rest of the way. It wasn't so bad and he had a wonderful time.  I need to take the kid outside more. He loves it.

It was a joy to be able to reconnect with old friends. I hope we can do it many more times in the future.

Visitors!

There were lots of visitors today. Catye and Josh left this morning. Then after church, Rinar went to the Riviera Hotel to pick up his Uncle John. He was here for a math convention. It was fun to visit with him, eat pancakes together, and have a mini-concert for him. John also played a few piano duets with Zach, so Zach was in heaven.

It is always a pleasant surprise when you get a visitor, especially family from far away who make the effort to stop by. It is what life is all about, I think.




This is really surprising...the last visitor of the day. Sam B. visited us from North Carolina. He is the father of one of my close friends from my childhood; Sarah. He stayed for a few hours and we had a really nice visit.

He is here for a month doing a project with his work. Thanks for visiting us. We had a blast.