Disneyland Trip and the Beach

Click to enlarge--this one's classic!

Before I left for girls camp and the rest of the family for Disneyland Cameron said, "Mom, I think we're going to have a little more fun than you this week." Nothing can trump a trip to visit Mickey Mouse, especially when you're 5 (or 10 or 13).

Bryce's sister Heather flew out from Texas to help manage the kids. It's a good thing she did, because she could take one group and Bryce could take the other on rides or whatever. Tyce really hates roller coasters or anything like them, but he did enjoy Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Carribbean. He also liked the Haunted Mansion and got several "Jack" (from The Nightmare Before Christmas) themed souveniers. Bryce said he was very helpful with the twins and had a great attitude.

The twins loved every kiddie ride and everything they did. They were especially interested in the walking characters.

Mary had the most dramatic time: she loves roller coasters and had a willing riding partner in Heather. They rode several fast and crazy rides both at Disneyland and California Adventure, including the Tower of Terror. Shortly after that last ride, she threw up.

Bryce took her to the first aid station, where they park staff was convinced she was dehydrated. She drank and drank, and when everyone thought she'd be okay, they stood to leave. And then she threw up again! To make a long story short, Bryce spent 6 hours in the 1st aid station with absolutely nothing to do except watch Mary sleep. Eventually they got her a wheelchair so she could at least stroll around the park (where she barfed twice more). It turns out she had extreme motion sickness, but after she felt better it was as if nothing had ever happened.

Here are some other pictures.

On the way to the fancy hotel, where they spent the night before going to the beach the next day!

They stayed in Dana Point--check out the view from their window!

They had fun beach-combing and even had a barbeque one night.

They had a blast, and it made it even more enjoyable for everyone to have Aunt Heather along! I'm so glad they had a great little vacation.

I'm off to Girls Camp!

At this time of year, Warm Springs should be called Scorching Flames of Misery and Death Springs.

But that's where we're going, and I'm thinking cool thoughts. Icy, snow-capped thoughts of how the last time I went camping I thought I'd freeze to death.

But guess what.

I am going to have a blast. You know why? Because I love girls camp.

(For real.)

Oh, and guess what else???????

The rest of the family, plus Heather, are going to Disneyland while I'm gone!

We will be having two different kinds of fun. But we will take the same amount of photos. Which is to say, in the millions.

Stay tuned, peeps!

First Place in the Science Fair!

Mary won first place for her science project on snails and slugs!

She truly did everything. It was her idea, she collected the data, and she wrote everything up. All I did was type her words. She even glued everything to the poster board herself.

I told Tyce and his friends that she'd won, and Tyce reminded me that *he* had also won first place in 4th grade. He said, "That's how we Joneses roll!"

Congratulations to our very-motivated 4th grader! You are a first-place girl to us, in everything you do.

School's Out

And as Dr. Freud would ask, "How do you feel about that?"

Oh, you know. Wait, you're not asking me?

The twins finished school mid-May, which you already know. And today was Tyce's last day of middle school. Mary is still in year-round school so she's not done with 4th grade until August.

So I guess I should say that school's out for one person today.

His friends Steven, Konner, Elijah, and Davian came over to eat lunch after the half-day. They listened to music like "School's Out for Summer" or whatever it's called. As they scrolled through their choices one of them said, "Oooo, I want this one next." It was so funny to hear "I'm a Little Teapot" after all of that hard rock!

Why, hello, Summer.

I look forward to remaking your acquaintance.

The Weekend

I just realized it's not Monday....it's Tuesday! Those 3-day weekends are brain-scramblers.

The Hardys invited us and the Bevells to play games on Friday night. We had fun playing Compatibility and True Colors, both games that were new to me. After a while Mary came over (walked around the corner) because her computer game had frozen up and she didn't want to watch the movie Tyce had on.

In the game True Colors, someone reads a question and then everyone secretly votes who they think fits the description best.

For example, one I read said, "Who is most likely to read the obituaries?"

Mary scrunched her face uncomfortably and asked, "Why do they call them that?"

Robin explained that they were the death announcements in the newspaper.

"Oh . . . I thought it had something to do with females," Mary said sincerely.

We had a good laugh over that one!

The rest of the weekend was good. Did housework, saw a movie, thought about my relatives who have passed on.

(When I went to BYU I had a floral design class where our assignment was to visit the cemetery on Memorial Day and photograph the various arrangements. It was peaceful and almost sacred there. Ever since then I've really wished I lived close enough to to that again, but to visit my own family.)

I have girl's camp in one week from today!!!!!!!!

I will probably not breathe fully until I return. Look for me on June 13th--if I'm not too worn out I will be a normal human being again.

Well, maybe.

I like . . .

rehashing the season finale of LOST with similarly-obsessed viewers,

spider-swinging at the park,

throwing things away,

finding my missing hairbrush in the shower,

drinking strawberry slushes,

hearing good news,

going on dates,

getting enough sleep,

air conditioning,

my clean mini-van,

talking to teenagers,

writing about feelings,

cute pajamas,

pens that work on the first try,

and

blueberry bagels.

Thoughts on Changing Seasons

When Tyce was 4 I took him to get the shots he needed for kindergarten. The nurse asked him if he was scared of shots, and Tyce said no. So she jabbed the needle in his leg. But Tyce jerked his leg and the needle scratched him all the way down his thigh. As you can imagine he was traumatized--and so was I. The nurse apologized and suggested we try again, but the terror in my little boy's eyes, coupled with his pleading that we stop, tore my heart out. It was all I could to to keep myself from crying there in the office. I scooped Tyce up and said we'd be back later in the week.

In the car I lost it. Everything was too much. He didn't want to go through with it and neither did I. The shots, the flyers for kindergarten orientation, the supply lists, the uniform . . . it was too much. This innocent little boy would be going to school soon, where academic pressures and social corruption would be out of my control. His life would change. And I wasn't at all sure he was ready for that.

I know I wasn't.

On the way home we listened to the Tom Chapin song "Mother Earth's Routine", about the changing seasons. It was almost a new season in my little boy's life. The song says, "And she has reasons, for changing seasons--you have to change to grow . . . you have to change to grow!"

Ah, yes.

Ready or not, you have to change to grow.

And of course, he did. And maybe I did a little, too.

The reason I mention this is that last night I went to a band parents' meeting at Basic High School.

I was lost, confused, and overwhelmed. What were they talking about? You mean he has a football game before school starts? And band camp for two weeks before that? Wait, you need me to man the concession booth when? Hold on, I need a minute to wrap my head around this.

It was just too much.

He's not ready for this. The school is too big. The pressures are too great. 

How can I have a child entering high school?

But he's not the little boy pleading for me to protect him anymore; in fact, like all teenagers, he's quite the opposite. Ready to take on the world, to move on, to grow up.

All I can do is hope that he'll be strong, be smart, be wise . . . be himself.

It's almost a new season. It's like he's outgrowing the safety of the nest; he's ready to spread his wings and fly.

I have to be prepared to let him. Because it will happen whether I'm ready or not.

You have to change to grow.

Ah, yes. He will.

And, hopefully, I will too.

Camping at Mt. Charleston

As predicted, it was insanely cold and windy but we still had an awesome time!

We camped somewhere in Lee Canyon, where snow banks had not yet melted.

And yet some in our company still wore shorts.

The older boys (Spencer and Tyce) got the fire going the Boy Scout way: lots of lighter fluid.

Sara and Mary rolled these stumps down the hill for marshmallow-roasting stools. Sara got 8 marshmallows on one stick and ate them all!

Cameron enjoyed his hot chocolate.

Harrison found the ranger's grabber stick and practiced picking up pine cones.

Camille liked sitting on my lap around the campfire, until the smoke inevitably followed her (and then she bolted).

Emily sported Barbie sunglasses while she played with the twins.

Poor Zach "only got five sodas this whole trip!"

Rebecca S. with baby Lizzie, who toddled all over camp.

Jim and Rebecca had a full-time job keeping tabs on 6 kids!

Bryce made a mountain man breakfast for everyone. I pretty much focused on not freezing to death.

Tyce and Spencer spent all morning chopping green wood, against the advice of both fathers.

Mary, Zach, and Sara built this fortress from stumps and branches. The password was OCEAN ("because no one would think to say 'ocean' in the forest").

Later they fortified it against attack. Their battle cry was "Eulalia!" and it was Tyce and Spencer against everyone else. Mary said, "We may have lost, but we nobly battled for freedom and justice." Spencer said, "We battled for world domination . . . and we WON!" They seemed to have a blast.

Emily and Harrison discussed their movie-watching plans for after the camping trip.

And then we packed up to leave. The trip was short but sweet. Next time we go I hope it's above 32 degrees at night.

After we got home and showered, we continued the fun by going to our friends' house to play Settlers of Catan while the younger kids watched a movie.

After a long but fun day I think we all appreciated our nice warm beds that night!

It is so nice to have great friends. Thank you, Jim and Rebecca, for inviting us!

Wacky Wednesday

Crazy dress-up day at school is one of Mary's favorites. Don't worry, the cup on her head was just for the picture.

Also on Wednesday we had a great Mutual activity that the Laurels planned, and I really mean the Laurels. Not me. They did a Bishopric Q & A activity with hilarious questions such as "what was your worst date" and "where was your first kiss." Their written responses were read by the Laurels and the kids had to guess. It was a ton of fun and I was super proud of the leadership and initiative that the older girls showed in planning and carrying off this activity. Maybe I should post Bryce's answers for you? He has some good stories.

Then on Thursday night I spoke at our a Relief Society meeting. The subject was Happiness is: Motherhood. I focused on finding joy in motherhood. It went okay--not great, but okay. I think I got heckled by someone. We had a difference of opinion on forcing children to do things. I was trying to point out that finding happiness comes from teaching and correcting but not by force. I stand by my opinion. Maybe it was a matter of semantics . . . one time someone asked me if I disciplined my children and I replied, "Oh, yes, of course." Later I found out she meant, do I used physical punishment, which is a lot different than my definition. But anyway. It happened, I read a lot of great material preparing for it, and I'm glad to be on the other side of it now.

Before that my dear friend Aranne invited me and Kim to her house for dinner. That was my favorite part of the night. She made a delicious pasta dish, a green salad, sauteed asparagus, and garlic bread. It was great. It was really nice to talk with her and Kim (and her new baby Cole), to relax before the activity.

Tonight we're going to Mt. Charleston. If we're not frozen solid by the morning I will tell you alllllll about it.