Campfire at Lake Mead

What a gorgeous night it was to be out in the desert! We packed the car and headed out to Lake Mead for a good old fashioned hot dog and marshmallow roast. I think everyone else had the same idea though because every campground at the closest site was full. We drove a ways out and found another one in Calville Bay which was perfect for our kids because there were giant gravel piles to climb.

Beautiful sunset.

This shot doesn't do the twilight sky justice.

Kids climbing.

What can one do besides climb a gravel pile? Slide down, of course. Harrison went head first like this.

Cam went head first like this!

They had a blast.

Looks like they're climbing the sand dunes of the Sahara, doesn't it?

Just me.

Bryce did a great job of making the perfect fire. They say that smoke follows beauty--well, I felt I must be the fairest of them all after that night. That smoke wouldn't leave me alone no matter where I went.

My favorite picture of the night! Happy girls!

Hot dog roasting. Everything tastes more delicious over a campfire.

Bryce told us a story about his ancestor Mary Goble Pay and how she wasn't killed in an Indian attack because one of the men remembered her kindness to his people. I love hearing those old stories when we're out in the wilderness.

We also tried to make Jiffy Pop popcorn over the fire but it turned completely black. When the directions say not to put it over open flame they mean it.

We missed Tyce but we know he had fun a the 7-stake dance which was part of Youth Conference. He even won the dance off and one of the leaders told us he definitely had the moves.

Any Excuse to Climb a Ladder

Last week our friend Kim drove by and asked, "Oh, are you guys putting up Halloween decorations?"

"No, the boys are playing a game they made up. It's called 'Get the Shoe Stuck in the Tree'." When they do they have to climb the ladder to get it down," I replied.

At the sound of that Kim's boys got out of the minivan and got in the game.

After that the kids got in the brand-new (never-been-used) garbage cans and wheeled each other up and down the driveway.

There's never a dull moment when you have boys around, eh?

The Day I Thought I Was Dying

I called Bryce at work. "My chest feels really tight and there are sharp pains when I move," I confessed. "I've looked up symptoms of a heart attack and I don't think that's the problem."

"You can't rule it out, though," he said. "You should probably go to the doctor."

"How embarrassing would that be if it turned out to be nothing," I asked glumly.

"How embarrassing would it be if you died?" Bryce countered. "You know, it could be anxiety."

There are some significant weights on our chests right now, that's for sure. "Man, I would be really annoyed it my body betrayed me like this as a reaction to stress," I said.

But guess what.

Right after he suggested it, and I accepted it, the pain disappeared.

Apparently life can be so big, so daunting, so burdensome . . .  it can actually make you feel like you're going to meet your Maker.

General Conference with the ADHD and Otherwise Distracted

There's nothing I'd like more than to have my kids play Prophet Bingo for 8 hours on General Conference weekend but alas, that will never happen. We can hardly get Cameron to stop doing cartwheels in front of the TV and for the older kids to come downstairs. Many years I have been frustrated by the lack of desire and/or ability to listen to the inspired words of our leaders but I have adjusted my expectations and this has been one of our better experiences. Bryce has helped me become more realistic since he too has a hard time paying attention (as evidenced by his near-constant fiddling with his phone, even during the prayers). I have some degree of book-learning on ADHD but it is invaluable to have someone help me put it in to practice.

So here's what we ask of the kids.

1. Be quiet for the Saturday sessions. I bought several craft kits from Target on clearance for the kids and gave them one per session which occupied them quite well. Bryce did not require attendance for the Saturday sessions and both older kids slept through the morning one (the best one, too bad for them). But when they came down for the afternoon we asked them to be respectful and quiet even if they were busy doing other things.

Harrison coloring his 3-D dog.

Cam doing his art project.

Cute pup and cuter boy!

2. For Tyce, go to the Priesthood session with his dad. Unfortunately this Saturday was Homecoming and Tyce went to the dance (and Bryce drove the van full of kids). However, the men did not take pictures and so I have no proof that this ever happened. They would usually go to the Priesthood session of General Conference.

3. Join us for our special breakfast. This year I made "homemade" doughnuts which were actually fried biscuits but really tasted like pastries. I think I might make that our new General Conference breakfast tradition.

Refrigerated biscuits before their transformation to doughnuts. Paula Deen made these on an episode of "Paula's Home Cooking".

Fry in 2 inches of medium-hot oil for a few minutes on each side.

Glaze them!

Or powdered-sugar them. The glazed are prettier but truthfully I liked these more.

4. Come to the Sunday sessions. I gave art kits to the boys and a puzzle for Mary but when President Monson spoke, they had to stop, sit up, and listen. This worked out quite well for both Sunday morning and afternoon (but better in the morning, ha).

There's Cam!

Listening to the words of the Prophet. Oh, I also bribed them with M&Ms.

I read recently that ADHD people need to fidget to concentrate, and literally need objects called "fidgets" to play with while they are sitting still. I've been trying to be sensitive to the constant need for motion and, what looks like to me, distraction. That's why you see in the photo above so many states of attentiveness: Tyce playing a game on the iPod, Mary cutting cheese with a knife, Bryce checking email on the computer, Harrison rocking in the recliner, and Cam army-crawling for misplaced candy.

That's life in our house, anyway. In adjusting my expectations I have been happier with our General Conference experience; in fact, I enjoyed this weekend quite a lot. And if you ask the kids I think they'd say the same thing.

How cute are these little sandwiches we had for lunch?

Broccoli soup--we needed something healthy to counteract those doughnuts!

 
As far as the messages go: Did you hear those awesome talks? How about the lowering of the ages for missionary service to 18 for young men and 19 for young women!? That was a jaw-dropping announcement, for sure. There were several talks that really touched me but some of my favorites were Quentin L. Cook (Can ye feel so now?), Dieter F. Uchtdorf (Living without regrets) and Jeffrey R. Holland ("Feed my sheep" and the apostolic call). I can't wait to reread the addresses in the Ensign coming up.

For Family Home Evening tomorrow maybe we'll have a little recap and discuss what stood out to us. Any gathering that ends with ice cream is a good one.

It was a great, relaxing weekend of spiritual uplift and I'm glad I got to spend it with my awesome family.

The Girls

Just hanging out with Mary and Katie.

P.S. Mary went to school 15 school days in a row; that's 3 weeks for those of you not so good at math. We rewarded her with a late night with Bella, Taya, and Nikki. AND....she went to church yesterday. She's been super pleasant and fun to be around. Someone is trying for the Favorite Child award, I think.

Cub Scouters

Now that our boys are 8 they get to join Cub Scouts. Last night was their first pack meeting! They were incredibly excited to wear their uniforms for the first time--they scootered down the street to show off for their friends.

Harrison.

Cameron.

Coming home after parading around the neighborhood.

Harrison earned his soccer belt loop!

And so did Cameron.

Cam is such a ham.

Check out his face after the Scout leader said the boys were going to serve dinner at the fundraiser!

The boys took a bow after receiving their awards.

Afterwards there were popsicles and lots of running around.

Harrison says that the Cub Scout motto is "Do Your Best". I hope they they enjoy their years as Cubs doing just that.

Update on Harrison

The doctor called me with the lab results and Harrison actually looks really good. He still shows signs of having the illness, of course, but no drug treatment is needed right now and he doesn't need a liver biopsy. That really is a relief. There is still a very small sliver of hope that his body could spontaneously clear the virus on its own; that would truly be a miracle and so that is what I will pray for. A miracle.

Seminary So Far

I love it. One huge change from last year is that I can sleep through the night!!!! I don't know why but my anxiety was through the roof before and every single night I taught I would get only a few hours of very poor sleep. If you've ever suffered from insomnia you know how it is: checking the clock every hour, telling yourself you'd better get to sleep or you'll be miserable. It's a self-fulfilling prophesy. For whatever reason I've been  back to normal and it has made a world of difference.

As far as the students go, these kids are some of my favorites. One of them is my very own Tyce. He has been really helpful when I need something set up and always participates. We have a great class all around--I've known many of the kids since they were only 6 years old (the age Tyce was when we moved to Nevada). I am enjoying getting to know the other ones as well. As I had hoped, this age group is a million times more mature than the 9th graders I had last year. And I really do think it's age because when these kids were freshmen, they put their veteran teacher through the wringer.

We have three visitors who attend, friends of class members. How awesome is that? What a great year to come and study the life and teachings of Christ in the New Testament.

Today we read Matthew 4 about Jesus being tempted of Satan. I brought a whole orange and put it in a vase of water; it floated. I told the students that it floated because of its protective peel. I said that the water was like temptations and the peel was their resolve to rise above them. Then I took another orange, completely peeled. When I dropped it into the vase it sunk straight to the bottom. This represented what happens when they stop being vigilant--temptations engulf them and literally drag them down.

As recounted in Matthew 4, Jesus was tempted in every way by the devil himself. To withstand the buffetings Jesus fasted, sought to be with God, quoted truths from the scriptures, and finally just LEFT. As a class we discussed how to use the Savior's example in some modern-day scenarios, including:

1. A new cute guy invites you to a party with his friends. At first people are talking and having fun but then someone says they have some pills to share. Before you know it the party takes a very different turn. 

("Does this really happen?" some of the students scoffed. Others replied that it did, and it happened to them. All agreed that the right thing to do was leave. Some kids said their parents allow them to use them (the parents) as scapegoats to get out of tricky situations by saying, "My mom just called and says I have to go." Others said they would tell the party goers they were dumb before leaving. Taylor D. cheekily said that he'd host a rival party without pills to see which was more popular.)

2. While you do have the desire to keep the commandments there is one you are really tempted to break. It seems like you are on a slippery slope and that it's getting harder and harder to resist giving in.

(The students related to this one. They suggested fasting for strength, going to the temple, surrounding themselves with positive people, reading scriptures that reminded them of the blessings they would receive from staying strong, and changing scenery when those thoughts came as ways to deal with it.)

3. At lunch everyone is huddled around a cell phone, laughing and talking. Suddenly someone passes the phone to you and says, "Watch this!" It is a pornographic video. You didn't enter the website address yourself but you find it hard to look away.

("Break their phone!" someone yelled. "No, you'd get sent to the dean," the class reminded him. The kids agreed that leaving immediately was the best and really only thing to do.)

4. A classmate tells you that you are ugly and people would like you better if you got a tattoo. You start to wonder if they are right.

(This was read by one of the prettiest girls in the class so it was funny. "Don't believe it, Lynsie, you are a beautiful child of God!" Tyce called out. The kids agreed that remembering who they were as children of our Heavenly Father empowered them to feel good about themselves. "My mama thinks I'm pretty the way I am!" Azia said dramatically.)

5. You are watching a movie with your friends when an inappropriate scene comes on. You feel uncomfortable and ask what the movie is rated. Your friends ask you why you are so sensitive and judgmental. 

("You need better friends!" was the rally call of the class. But some suggested going to the kitchen for snacks for the rest of the movie, asking to switch to a Disney movie, or just going outside to do something else. Autumn said that as a teen, one of her Young Women leaders did just that and the entire group followed her! What she started doing was more fun than sitting on a couch anyway.)

And that took us to the end of class. I ended with my testimony that because Jesus endured temptation He KNOWS how we feel and how we struggle. As our Savior and Redeemer He will help us because He loves us and He knows us better than we know ourselves. When we fall short He is the way back.

And that's how Seminary is going so far.

The Waters of Baptism

What a great weekend! Both sets of grandparents came, as well as the Prices (Bryce's sister's family) for the baptism of Cameron and Harrison on September 15th. Those boys sure are loved by family who were here as well as those who couldn't come.

All this week we've been talking about baptism. For Family Home Evening we watched a powerful video depicting Christ teaching Nicodemus what it means to be born again. It's one thing to read the scriptures but quite another to see them come to life; how would it have been to have been taught face to face by the Savior Himself? We also watched the video of Jesus being baptized by John. After that Bryce and the boys practiced how it would be for the big day. We sang one of my favorite Primary songs, "When I Am Baptized".

I like to look for rainbows when ever there is rain
and ponder on the beauty of an earth made clean again.

CHORUS:
I want my life to be as clean as Earth right after rain
I want to be the best I can,
and live with God again.

I know when I am baptized my wrongs are washed away,
and I can be forgiven and improve myself each day.

CHORUS
 

On Saturday, right before we left for the church, Cameron's new motorcycle guy mysteriously lost a leg. I quietly confronted Harrison and said, "Harrison, you are about to make sacred covenants at your baptism. After today when you make a mistake it really counts." Citing our FHE song he replied, "Yes, but today when I am baptized all my wrongs are washed away." I guess he was getting one last naughty act in while he could!

Harrison, Bryce, and Cameron before the baptism.

The boys had the pleasure of sharing their special day with two friends, Johnathan and Cash. Our four boys were the only ones in the stake to be baptized that day, so we had a ward event instead of a stake one. When Brother Hafen called the kids up to be introduced the boys stood solemn and reverent except for Cam, who did a little "I'm awesome" dance.

Bryce performed both baptisms but Harrison requested that Grandpa Al do his confirmation. Both grandpas and Uncle Andy stood in the circle, as well as dear friends Jim Shapiro, Shane Osborne, and Kevin Hilyard.

Every guest was invited to write a note or draw a picture for the children. There were letters of congratulations in various forms but my favorite was from 10-year-old cousin Kess:

Dear Cameron,

It is wonderful that you are now baptized. I bet it felt good to be baptized. You are now a full member of the church. Your baptism was one of the best I have seen.

Kess

The Price family: Andy, Kira (6), Kess (10), Betsie, and Natasha (2).

Grandma Judy and Grandpa Al with the boys. They gave them new scriptures for their birthday/baptism gift and Cameron is particularly enamored with them, carrying them everywhere and sleeping with them by his pillow.

Mopsie and Grandpa Jim with the boys. Grandpa Jim was incredibly sweet to Harrison which I know made him feel special. Harrison really needs one-on-one time; Cam will get in your face for it but Harrison needs someone to seek him out.

Our family: Mary (12), Rebecca, Harrison (8), Bryce, Cameron (8), and Tyce (16).

I am very proud of our boys for their decision to enter the waters of baptism. They looked so happy that day and I hope that they remember that special, good feeling that comes from doing what's right.

On Sunday night Bryce gathered the family and asked each grandparent to share their favorite verses so that Cameron and Harrison could mark them in their new scriptures. All the kids participated and I think that will be a treasure to discover again and again as they study the gospel throughout the years.

Pat Cook (Mopsie): Psalms 91:4--She told of a picture she had seen of an eagle literally stretching its wing to cover the eaglets and she loved that symbolism.
Jim Cook (Grandpa Jim): Moroni 8:2-3--He read that every day when David was on his mission and now applies this to his grandchildren.
Judy Jones (Grandma Judy): Alma 1:25-28--We can have faith and do good works, even amidst trials and persecutions.
Al Jones (Granpa Al): Alma 5:14-15--Questions to ask ourselves daily.

Mary shared that her favorite story was of Esther in the Old Testament. Tyce's favorite was the 2000 Stripling Warriors in the Book of Mormon. Harrison liked a verse in Samuel that spoke of kindness. Cameron liked the story of Ammon (aka "the guy who cut off the bad guys' arms").

Like I said, it was a great weekend. I am sorry to see everyone go but it sure was a pleasure having them here. Bryce remarked how awesome it is for our kids to have wonderful grandparents to look up to and I must agree--we are indeed blessed.

Doctor News

When I take my kids to a doctor, any doctor, I have an issue with privacy. I feel that they plow through the kids' medical and birth history without sensitivity or regard for feelings. Yes, facts are facts but a young person can only process and handle so much information. For example, yesterday I took Harrison to the gastroenterologist, a new one we hadn't seen before.

Doctor: So he was born with [a condition]. And his biological mother had that too, and also [another condition]. Anything else in his birth history?

Me: Ah, yes, well . . . um, Harrison? Can you come get my phone and play a game? Great. {Whispering} He also had, uh, [******] in his system.

Doctor: I see. He was in the NICU for 4 weeks, is that correct?

Me: Well, yes, but mostly because there was no place for him and his twin to go. They stayed in the hospital until a foster home was found.

Doctor: And the biological mother, she is now . . . deceased?

Me: Yes.

Harrison: Mom, does deceased mean dead?

Me: Hey buddy, did you download that car game to my phone yet?


It's like this everywhere I go. I even talked the nurse privately in the hallway to avoid what happened and it still happened. I'm not trying to lie or keep my kids from the truth but an 8-year-old (or a 16-year-old) is not prepared for certain things, especially when revealed in front of a stranger. 

To wit, on the eve of his doctor's appointment I told Harrison what it meant to live with his illness long term. He doesn't currently suffer from it or even need meds for it, so to tell him this before would have been pointless. He went through extensive testing when he was 2 but he doesn't remember. However, it was time to see the specialist again and he needed to know what was going on.

So the sobering part of my day was re-realizing that his condition is life-long and that if he does require treatment, it's a year-long round of heavy-duty meds that give him flu-like symptoms the entire time. Really, how horrible is that, to have the flu for a year when most of us can barely survive a week. It's one of those things that really isn't fair but I have to have faith that God knows him and loves him even more than I do. To that end, He will give him what he needs make it through this life (mentally, emotionally, spiritually) and I hope He does the same for me. Because I'd much rather be dealing with the disease myself; I don't think there's anything worse for a parent than to know your child is or will be suffering a cross that is hard to bear. If I could do anything to take away that burden from my boy, Lord knows I would.

Harrison had 15 vials of blood drawn yesterday. When the lab results come in we'll schedule an ultrasound and maybe even another biopsy. Perhaps I've been in denial since his last round of testing came back with the result of "wait and see". I guess I mentally interpreted that as "everything's fine". And while I sincerely hope that his blood work shows a similar result to the first round, the reality is that his condition will never go away and that "fine" will always, always be relative.

Yesterday I was reminded of how precious every life is and how much I love each of my kids.

It was WICKED!

Last week we got to see the play everyone had been buzzing about for months: Wicked. It was everything we'd hoped it would be and more: the sets! the costumes! the singing!!!! It was fabulous. I'd see it 20 more times before it leaves if I could.

Bryce got tickets for the big kids and ourselves but Mary was being Mary and refused to go at the last minute. So Tyce knew exactly who to invite: his friend Johnnie who had said earlier in choir, "Tyce, I hate you so much for going to Wicked without me." Half an hour before we had to leave Tyce called him and said, "Well, Johnnie, this is your lucky day." I think Johnnie may have fainted.

Outside the Smith Center before it started.

The boys.

Not only were we treated to an amazing performance but the company was top notch as well. I would have preferred for Mary to come but Johnnie was truly delightful--so appreciative and so excited that it was a joy to have him along. Both he and Tyce picked apart the musical scene by scene on the way home, singing their favorite parts and vowing to make everyone jealous at school the next day.

Mary had a lovely night herself. She stayed with our evening's babysitter, Chelsea, and the two of them had a wonderful time playing Mario Kart.

For all of us the night was awesome, it was magical, it was memorable, it was . . . wicked.

The Twins are 8

Cameron and Harrison's birthdays were on Labor Day, September 3rd. No work and no school meant we could spend the whole day partying it up, and we did--first by eating out, then by bowling, and finally having a family party!

The boys wanted their own birthday cakes and although they requested outlandish designs adorned with toys, they happily accepted the traditional round-with-sprinkles variety I made. 

The boys got new scooters which they've loved riding to school. They also received a Lego set (Harrison) and Spiderman web-shooters (Cam). Cards from family and cash to go shopping!

Bowling was fun. Even I used the bumpers this time and let me say, it's a good thing I did.

You know Cam--everything he does, he does full-body.

Lunch buddies Harrison and Tyce.

Cam and Mare.

One great thing about being 8 is that the boys are being baptized later this month. How cute are these little dudes before their interview with the Bishop?

Who knew these boys would bring so much fun and craziness to our family? They are full of life and spunk and we can't imagine what life would've been like without them. Happy Birthday, Cameron and Harrison!

Food for Thought

From the devotional Brad Wilcox gave on Sunday night:

"You are on the lifeboat. But some want to swim back to the Titanic because 'it's fun' and 'they play music.' You know what they're playing? 'Nearer My God to Thee' because they're going to DIE! Now tell me, why would you leave the safety of the lifeboat to swim back to a sinking ship?"

Why, indeed.

First Days of School

Tyce is in 11th grade at Basic High School.

His shirt says SWAG and he says it means "Spirit Will Always Guide." That, and he thinks he's hot stuff.

This year he has English III Honors, History Honors, Anatomy and Physiology, Algebra II, Weightlifting, Chamber Choir, and Concert Choir. He was super excited to see his friends and Bryce said when he dropped him off, Tyce was bouncing off the walls and jumping on people, hug-tackling everyone he knew. I'm sure he was a joy to have in class first hour. Tyce said he had a good day. There are 80 kids in his concert choir this year!

 Mary Rachel is in 7th grade at Brown Junior High School.

I tried to loan her my bright blue Hello Kitty necklace but she likes to keep things simple.

Mary has all accelerated classes including English, Math, Science, and History--which she says she's dreading. She also has art class. She is so talented but I wasn't thrilled she'd signed up for Art again because last year she got poor grades in that course. I asked her why and she said, "Because the teacher says we have to do things HER way and I like my way better." Oy.

I picked her up along with Sara and Nikki after school. I asked Mary what her favorite class was and she said it was too early to tell. I asked the same thing about the teachers and she said the same things. I guess she's reserving judgment--there's no benefit of the doubt for her. At home she said, "Well, Tyce and I must not look like twins anymore because none of the teachers knew I was his sister until I told them. Then they were all gushy and like, 'oooo, we love Tyce!'" Overhearing this Tyce said, "See, I told you, Mary!"

Cameron and Harrison are in 2nd grade at Sue H. Morrow Elementary. Their teacher is Mrs. Cropp.

Trying to be "identical".

Mrs. Cropp also taught Tyce and Mary and I believe she requested our boys to be in her class (otherwise I think they'd be in separate classes like before). We love Mrs. Cropp because over the years she's been a great teacher but also a dear friend. When the boys chose their outfits I said, "Wearing the same shirts might confuse the teacher." They both replied, "That's the point!"

I walked the boys to class and picked them up when school was over. I asked if they'd fooled Mrs. Cropp and Cam said, "Well, she forgot which one of us was which and she said, 'Oh, I can't keep you two straight!'" So I guess that even though they don't look alike it's still hard to tell them apart. They also said they had a really great day and that they knew most everybody in their class.

As for me,  I cleaned the house. I read the scriptures. I even meditated. Ah, I was so quiet and peaceful. I've been rethinking my plan to go back to work in the traditional sense. I'm not sure it's right for us right now because even though the kids are older, they need me. They don't think they do but they really do. I may have to work in the evenings or some odd hours instead of an 8-5 job right now. I have been praying for guidance and I know that I will be led to whatever it is I am supposed to do.

P. S. We're late to the party but Bryce, Tyce, and I are totally hooked on Downton Abbey. Do you watch it? Do you love it? We can't wait for the next season to start!

P. P. S. Seminary starts next week after Labor Day. If not for the physical exhaustion I suffer from getting up that early, I'm really looking forward to teaching the New Testament to a great group of kids.

Making a Match

Did you read in my last line in the last post that I hope to re-enter the workforce? It just seems like it's time. Bryce's schedule will become more flexible soon which enables me to stretch my wings.

I'm lucky to live in a big city where hundreds of jobs are posted every day. The only problem is that I don't know what I want to do but I DO know what I don't want to do. It made me think of what it's like for my single friends in the dating world--there are tons of men out there but most of them are ones you want to avoid. Ha. Just like my friends who eventually find Mr. Right, I am confident that I will eventually find a good match. There's a job out there with my name on it.

Speaking of Mr. Right, guess what yesterday was . . . our 17th wedding anniversary. Woo hoo!

I wrote this message on facebook: I loved my wedding day because it was the start of what I love even more--my marriage. I am blessed to have a wonderful husband who has strengthened me, supported me, and cheered me on for 17 years now. He is my partner in everything and truly my best friend. I love you, Bryce Jones.♥

It's true. I am a lucky girl. We celebrated by eating at a Thai restaurant called Naga. I had yellow curry and Bryce had Pad Thai, both delicious. It's crazy to think all we've been through and what we still have to look forward to; it's like a lifetime condensed in 17 years. In some ways it feels like it was yesterday but in another it feels like it's been an eternity (in a good way). How did I know what I was doing all those years ago? I have no idea, but thank goodness we're both committed to making our lives together work.