a year in the life

OK - this year has obviously gotten away from me... and in an attempt to redeem myself (and get back into the blogging habit) here are some highlights from the past nine months.  Enjoy this trip into the past.



First part of October:

Bucket graduated from Stride.  (You'll have to read back in time to get the details)

A kind friend gave us tickets to Lagoon - in it's scary Frightmares mode.  Monkey had too much homework and Tim had class... so we took Auntie Heather.

The kids got balloon animals and had their faces painted.

So did I.

The brave ones did the Terror Ride.

As a belated b-day present, I cut my hair off.

September:

Crazy hair day at school.  W knew exactly what he wanted and kept reminding me all week... so I did what he asked.

And here's how he came home:

Babysitting highlights

And nothing beats looking out the window at this:

My budding artist did this masterpiece.  He loves "how to draw" tutorials.  They really appeal to his rule oriented nature.

And as the pinnacle of my gardening prowess... I have finally attracted an orb weaver!

Check out this lovely lady.

We finished off the month with a hike to Timpanogos Cave. In the rain.  No. I mean RAIN!  It was constant down pour that made our hike soggy and included rivers across and down the path, impromptu waterfalls, both large and small, and... a real live ROCK SLIDE that covered a section of trail.  We were blessed and protected - an urgent potty break delayed us long enough so we heard the thunder and crash from a safe distance.

My aunt Bonnie treated me to a show at Tuacon.  Joseph and the amazing technicolor dreamcoat.  I was able to be there with my Gma, Mom, Delli and Colby as well as Bonnie and Becca.  It was amazing.

August:

I finally held a garden party.  It was a lovely time.  I hope to make it a tradition.

We went camping at Timpooneeke with the extended family again this year.  Lost most of the pictures though with computer problems (again).

I tried to get us to hike Timp cave before school started, but it was sold out.  So our family activity became an impromptu picnic and playing at a cool park.

 

First day of school:  one on every schedule- high school, middle school, all day elementary and half day kindergarten. (Nini was crying because we couldn't wait for her to get her shoes on.)

Monkey (9th)

Bucket (7th)

 W (2nd)

 Nini (K)

And I have to throw in this adorable one of Nini and Hank walking to school the first day.  I love that Nini has an honorary little brother that she loves so much.

Bucket starting school was pretty momentous.  His teachers have been extremely accommodating and he's been doing well.  He continued Stride even after school started.

And along with starting school.  Bucket started playing the trumpet.


July:

The Freedom Festival:  Nini met Elsa and Anna.  Huge moment in her little life.  (she's the one up front in a white hat)

And Nini's friend Sara bought them matching outfits (like insisted to her mother that Nini needed to have one too)- skirts, necklaces and hair flowers.

I took a plein air painting class.

June:

W turned 7!

 Every boy needs a dino tail.

He had a science themed party complete with lab coats.

Bucket started the STRIDE program.  A day treatment program.  Think summer school for Asperger's kids. He also went through four hours of psychological testing... the results of which took away his ADD diagnosis and called him just high functioning autistic.  It totally explains why we've had so many med troubles.  Since then he's only been on meds for sleep... and amazingly his behavior has improved.  Stride taught him lots of skills and changing our expectations has helped too.

Bucket was ordained a deacon.  It was quite a big deal - even more that it would normally be - because he had to wait a little and work so hard to prepare.  But, despite all his struggles, he did it!  His first week passing the sacrament I watched him so carefully, worried and scared for him.  Afterwards, he sat down by me and I put my arm around him and he snuggled up.  "How was it?" I asked and he looked up, with tears in his eyes, and smiled "I felt the Spirit so much."

I was able to get together with my college Roomies.  I love these ladies and I am very grateful for the relationship we share.

Babysitting highlights. Someone learned to crawl.

May:

We had family (and individual b-day) pictures taken by my friend Leslie.  They turned out great.

Monkey turned 14!  It wasn't her favorite birthday.  Not only does she now have a cousin to share the day with, but it was also Memorial Day and our annual family BBQ.  She'd much rather have the day just be hers but she was a good sport.

 

End of school dance - Mexican Hat Dance.  It was strange to be part of a new school's tradition.  W is wearing a red/black jacket.

W and his first grade teacher

Bucket turned 12!

He had an art themed party.  They painted 3-D characters and then made storyboards and flip books staring their characters.

Babysitting highlights.

April:

Monkey was in her school's musical - Honk (a story about the ugly duckling).

Some yard pictures

I made a spring wreath for the door - for WAY cheap with a big embroidery hoop and flowers from an estate sale.

The impossible happened... we got a trampoline.  Tim and I felt it was needed to help Bucket (and the little ones would enjoy it too).  Gma splurged for the kids upcoming birthdays and paid for us to get a little tramp to fit our little backyard.  It was an instant hit and has been well loved and well used ever since.

We saw Auntie Delli die in a muscial murder mystery (done by my friend Annelise).

 

Tim and I went to Comic Con.

Nini turned 5!

She had her first ever friend party.  They did a craft and had cake and ice cream and capri suns.

I made Trigger some clothes (out of old sweaters)

Babysitting highlights

March:

A house in our ward blew up.  Yes.  Really.  Exploded.  Amazing neighbors ran into the fire to pull out the lady trapped inside.  We live in a great neighborhood.

W lost his two front teeth

I was a vendor at the Vintage Whites Market.  I sold vintage glass and decor (like my etsy shop).  It went well.  I even met my sales goal.

Nini did something to her arm.  No known injury moment, though I suspect it may have been climbing/falling down from her bed in the night.  She came to me one day (without tears) telling me her arm was hurt, so I dutifully wrapped it for her and sent her on her way.  She'd complain about it on and off... but since the complaints were usually in response to being asked to do something, I figured she just didn't want to do the job.  Then the next day, Monkey was playing with her and pulled Nini's arm out straight and she SCREAMED.  That's when I really looked at it.  She couldn't straighten her arm.  So we were off to the Doctor.  It wasn't broken, but after a couple weeks in a splint she still couldn't straighten it, so we saw a specialist.  He said to take it out of the splint and just let her play and stretch it back out (in lieu of physical therapy).  The two weeks with no monkey bars were hard... but in the end her arm was fine.

We were in our Ward's talent show.
Tim

Me

Monkey

Bucket

W

Nini (she showed her talent of "running")

Feb:

We hit the beginning of a really hard patch with Bucket.  The Dr. just wanted to throw more and more meds at him and I hit every snag possible in trying to get him help.  Things culminated with me having to call crisis and getting the Dr. to write a letter to push Bucket ahead in "line" with counseling.  It was a really hard few months, but in the end we had a new diagnosis and Stride and things have been much better.

end of January:

I had a visit from a couple friends from Ecuador who I hadn't seen for sixteen years.  Marco and I became good friends on my mission.  He was the ward mission leader in my last area.  He married Claudia, who I knew from another area.  It was so great to see them and catch up - and find that my spanish isn't quite as gone as I feared.

Babysitting highlights

Me, Tom and Trigger

And a cute pic of Nini and her daddy