January Catch Up

Z going on a "safari"

(got to love borrowed kits from the resource center!)We got invited to a party place with inflatables one Saturday for 2 parties!!! We were there over 5 hours!
Z has asked to putt-putt when we've been at this place before. This party included the golfing so he was excited! All 3 tried - they moved their feet while hitting the ball - but I didn't have the energy to give lessons - so I just let them enjoy their method.
B with birthday girl #1, Emily. They ride the bus home together.
Z with birthday girl #2 Jasmine. They are in the same class.
Another Saturday we got invited to a Barbie Fashion Birthday Party. (: Here are the guests dressed up doing a fashion show.

Z was with the Paparzzi (brother to birthday girl)!

Another Saturday we had our Primary P.J. and Pancake Breakfast at church. (: They all had fun while eating pancakes that the bishopbric made!

Around Martin Luther King's Birthday B filled out this form comparing him and her. Her goal in life made me laugh and feel sad. (: "to try to get 12 hours of sleep" !?! Poor girl - she's heard me say she needs twelve hours and I think it's her main reason she asks me to home school her. ??? I don't want to home school - but it sure keeps popping up lately . . . with her - with strangers, etc. I'm thinking about thinking about it. She usually is in a better mood when she gets more sleep - aren't we all? She usually gets 11 hours and so I'm trying now for 11 1/2 . . . not sure we can do 12. At least it's winter so it's DARK outside at bedtime!

This is how I remember my mom washing my hair when I was little . . . in the kitchen sink.

Here is my first cassette player that I got for my birthday when I was 9 I think. Yes I still had the original box and bag and stryofoam that it came with! It went on our move to Germany and back . . . well - I let it go after 25 years. A friend came and helped me purdge and this was something that although I thought about keeping for my kids - I let go. I thought we were going to work in my basement - but she wanted to do my bedroom/bathroom/closet. It was an emotional 6 hours between me and her - but we survived.

Here's another treasure above that I let go: The box that held cards at my wedding reception 10 years ago. I had made it and it looked too rough to try to use at a nice wedding at the off chance someone would want to borrow it.

It took us 6 hours but we got 6 bags of trash and 6 bags to donate out of the room. (the big black garbage bags) We took out about 6 loads of dirty laundry, a fake tree, 2 night stands, a small bookcase, and a small desk. I'm too embarassed to post a before picture - but you've seen hoarders on TV where there is a path to the bed . . . path to the closet. . . and stuff stacked high on the dressers right? That image will give you an idea of our embarassing situation . . . BUT . . .

look at the room now!

Shows off the artwork and the bed frame (w/ drawers) that David made for our room!!! They didn't stand out before with the clutter. Now we can hang up other things on the wall! I never wanted to before since I didn't want to decorate junk. We have kept it this way too! And now I'm not always shutting my door anytime the doorbell rings - I didn't want anyone to go back there - now I want to show them! Of course if you didn't know the previous condition it might not be as impressive. I'm thankful for a good friend that was encouraging and dedicated that night!!! We hope it will carry out to the other parts of our home!

Warning: Blood Below

Yes, this is B with a bloody nose.
She came from her bedroom - luckily only one drop hit the floor between there and here . . .And why is this post-worthy?Because the story goes - that Ak hit her! Ak didn't like something B did and Ak smacked her hand (as unfortunately she has done before) BUT this time at B's face and hit her just right that B started bleeding!?!? So Ak went to time out while we cleaned B up. Then D talked to her. She got the saddest face as tears welled up in her eyes at D asking her if she wanted him to call AJ and tell her what Ak had done. Luckily after B was cleaned up she wasn't in any pain - she just got bumped wrong - Ak had to apologize then her bigger consequence was NO TV or computer time while the the other 2 were at school for 3 days. She did not try to get out of it and on the 4th day when I was going to get in the shower and I asked if she wanted to get on the computer she asked, "what about my consequence?" Made me think I should have let it go longer! (: Our other 2 never hit when they got mad - but Ak seems to have that as a reflex - so we hope this has shown her that hitting can hurt!!! Ak won't like that I'm telling this story but we still love you Ak!

16!!!

This picture doesn't seem that long ago . . . but he's growing up! Now my nephew is 16! Tall, smart, and handsome!

We got to go over after church and celebrate. Thanks - we had fun!
He got some golf shoes from Grandma and Grandpa! (: D's played golf with him a few times this past year and said they might help his game, might. (:
We love you R!

Waverly Hills TB Sanatorium

A few weekends ago we were invited on a tour to this old "haunted" hospital. D and I have been up there many times before - but it's been years - so it was interesting to go back. 10 years ago D helped clear out a space on the first floor and helped build a haunted house there - great location for such an event!!! Our friend Terin won tickets for a "private party" (up to 10 people) and asked us if we wanted to go!!! YES!!! For free - what did we have to loose? D's mom came and watched our kids so off we went. We didn't know what to expect - had we known some things we could have planned differently - but some things were better than expected. D had joked that he wished they would just let us explore by ourselves - well - that's what happened! (we also found out that usually people pay $100 per person to do this type of tour?!?! I'm too cheap for that!) We were told usually those that do these type of tours bring spirit monitoring equipment and recording devices to try to detect sounds/voices, etc. - uh . . . we looked clueless I'm sure! 8 PM - The co-owner wife walked us around - told us where it was stucturally safe - gave us some tips if we wanted to try to make contact with some spirits - told us a few stories - showed us how to get back to the break room (a heated room with restrooms and stuff) - encouraged us not to stay in a large group - then led us to this tunnel and told us to have fun and left us . . .

They used this tunnel to bring the dead bodies down from the hospital. So many people died up there that they didn't want the patients to see a hearse up there all the time - bad for morale.

This is us all at the bottom of the body shoot - then we walked back up!

The morgue. We had 2 friends climb in onto this tray and we pushed them in . . . I did not.

The old operating room light.

Many cooridors like this . . . we walked around in the dark.

It was abandoned for years before these owners bought it. Who knows what asbestos we were breathing in . . .

There was no light in the sky that night - just shadows of a BIG building . . . but it's cool how the camera picked up on what light it could.

12 AM we stopped to eat pizza that we had ordered. D laughed when he had to tell the delivery guy where to come deliver it!

This is up on the balcony of the 5th floor.

The moon was out sometimes . . .

They say this room has a lot of "activity" since some stories surround the famous 502. . .

We had placed these balls side by side and came back to see that one had moved . . . ???

And do you see in anything in the tan/green jacket? Like a skeleton's side profile of a face perhaps??? They says it's common that when you get your pictures developed to see things that you didn't see when you were there . . . Here it is zoomed in . . . what do you see?

By 2 AM me and my pregnant friend were tired and cold. We had a good time and were ready to go. Walking down dark hallways alone wasn't enticing anymore. (: So we went to the break room and laid on some "couches" while our husbands went outside and explored.

This night we were NOT trespassing but "temporary guests" (:

A little after 3 AM we left. . . . For the price and atmosphere - I'm glad we got to go. I get scared easily - but the spirits here don't freak me out since they were all sick and where else might they want to go back to visit? Luckily the lady told us all not to try to scare each other - so D did a good job and followed this advice! Taking turns walking down a hallway in the dark alone - that was a little weird - but all in all, it was a good night! I'm usually up for an adventure - but I don't need to go do it again. (although I suppose if the owners get their dream finished - of opening part of it as a haunted hotel - that would interesting to see since it still needs a lot of work.) Thank you Terin for sharing your tickets - very memorable night!

Z's First Bball Game

Z is playing Basketball for an Upwards Kindergarten Team! (: He is VERY excited! This is them coming out and walking down between the cheering parents/family/cheerleaders. Where's Waldo? I mean Z-man? (:
Here is his team ready to play.

He's #5 and has good form.

He hasn't touched the ball very much and he seems okay with that. (:

Happy boy after his first game!!! They don't keep score officially, but he was happy to report his team got the most points (:

Snow day

Since the beginning of December - the kids haven't had a full week of school . . . either a holiday or a snow day has popped up.Usually it hasn't been much snow - but the kids still like to play outside. This tunnel has been a new thing to play with in the back yard. D hopes to make it part of a treehouse one day.
B climbed a tree and got stuck.

Ak ran in to tell us and D ran out to help her!

I grabbed my camera! (:

Ak started dance class

She was excited to go!!! Her age group at this studio learns "creative movement" so it's a mixture of things but she thinks it's all "ballet". (: She feels like a ballerina! Like a REAL ballerina! (: And it's all about how we percieve ourselves right? Helps with a postivite self esteem! (: