Wednesday, July 2, 2025

DC fun

 We've arrived safely in DC to visit my dad.  I visited last summer with M, but the kids haven't been since Thanksgiving 2023.  We'll be here 3 days and hope to see cousins, and siblings too.  M is at camp just 90 minutes away.  We're going to the zoo today.  M was the major zoo girl but everyone likes it too.  It just feels weird to go without her.  Having kids grow up and move on is strange.

When P and I went to California 3 years ago, it was so strange, and nice, to experience travel without the kids.  So much of what we do has been dictated by the kids for the last 21 years.  L will graduate in 9 years. P has 16 years until retirement.  I hope to be an SLP in 2 years, so I'll have 14 years of experience at that point.  There is something called Travel SLP where you get a 6 month or 1 year contract and they pay really high wages because you are moving to fill a short term contract.  I think that would be a fun way to travel, and still work after P retires.

The years fly by.

Sunday, June 29, 2025

Linger Longer

 Today we had a longer longer at church.  I don't think we've done that before with this ward.  Last year we did have a nice 4th of July picnic at a park.  We've had ward meals for Christmas.  This linger longer we didn't set up tables or have the ward provide the main dish.  It was designed to be a finger food party.  The emphasis was on mingling.  I think a lot of people enjoyed that.  The kids were a bit crazier than I expected.  Plenty of people didn't come, but the people who wanted to, did.  I'm glad that I pushed for this and we did it.  The new RS presidency didn't have to put it on.  Just the people who wanted to do it.

Thursday, June 26, 2025

Summer is getting hot

 The 3 peas are home for the summer and homeschool is going better than any year previous.  lP wakes up at 5:20 to run with cross country every day!  That means I'm walking a few miles each day with another team mate's mom. 

Levi is getting into a good routine of doing daily work.  He does math, writing, piano, sign language, and music theory.  Computer time is from 11 to 2 and sometimes we go visit the cats at the thrift store "A new leash on life".  Right now they have kittens that are pretty cute.


After our visit to Florida, B is more willing to go to the pool.  He wouldn't go last summer.  I can take my books and study by the pool in the shade.  Nice!

I'm so swamped with my classes this semester.  Somehow it didn't seem like taking 12 credits would be a problem but aparently 6 is full time for the summer.  I believe it.  I'm having to be very organized and stay on top of my chapters and assignments.  7 weeks to cram it all in.  Luckily I'll never do this again.

P has been away on a work training and he'll have another one in July.  The kids  are doing a great job of being pretty low maintenance.  I read every night with them for 30-60 minutes though.  

My sister N visited and I'm so glad she drove out of her way to visit us.  She does a lot to keep the family in contact and keep us from drifting apart.

I've learned so much in the last year.  It is truely amazing.  I find things I like about most every possible setting for speech pathology.  I look forward to working with patients in the coming semesters and years.


Thursday, May 29, 2025

M jet plane, lP camp, B camp



 Monday we dropped lP off at girls camp.  We went to 3 waterfalls "on the way home", the long way home.  We had an awesome hike at Nocalula falls, and the waterfalls were surging from recent rain storms.

Today I dropped M off at the airport.  She's flying to Maryland to work at a camp for 2 months.  It is terrible sending kids off.  I just want to be there and know she is OK.

P is taking B down to camp and picking up lP.  

Sunday, May 25, 2025

Talk for church

 I got to speak in church today 2 years to the day we moved here.  I’m pleased that I gave a talk that didn’t involve a lot of personal stories of trial.  I’m glad I prepared it last Saturday so I had a whole week to practice it.  I love the spiritual submersion I feel preparing and giving a talk.

While waiting these 2 years to give a talk I have given a testimony a few times and written several talks just for “fun”.

Being in graduate school I have a lot of recent practice writing.  I prepared a 12 minute talk and practiced a 12 minute talk.  I’m thankful that I don’t have the spiritual gift for preparing a talk and then not giving it.

Sunday, May 11, 2025

Mother's Day

 I'm grateful for my mother.  I think of her often and wish I could share my current accomplishments and interests.  People are complicated and relationships even more so.  I love being a mother to my family.

P has a tradition of taking the children to the dollar tree to pick out a gift for me.  I like this tradition.  P also has a tradition of adoring me.  He's good at traditions.

I made German Pancakes for the kids today.  They are getting so independent.  Sundays are very restful.  I'm grateful for the relationships the children have with each other.  B and L are doing a lego set G got them for Christmas.  They all know Sunday funday activities.  There is less need to be reminded or instructed.  

This Summer I'll have the 3 peas home a lot.  I hope we'll do homeschool fun every day.  Sign language, Cooking, Music Theory, handwriting, going on outings, beast academy, good and the beautiful.  Good times.

M will be off at a camp she is working at.  It's so weird, but also good, that she can go and work this summer.  She flies back the day before moving in to the dorm at Auburn.  I'm proud of the life she is making for herself.

Saturday, May 10, 2025

Visit and fun

 My sister N came to visit.  She brought cousin S, dog M, and met her child F here for a drive home to Utah.  It is so fun to have visits.  I wish we would go out to Utah sometime.  Maybe we will.  

We swam with them at the hotel they stayed at Wednesday evening.  Thursday they went to see our brother S.  Friday I took them kayaking and they took me to lunch.  I drove the trailer!  In the evening we all went to the arcade then came back here for campfire fun and tacos.

Today the boys cleaned their room and we figured a place for grandma B.  It's nice to get a new lease on a space.  We had sent grandma B to the hotel for N to sleep on.  Having it out of the house for a few days helped us reach this new set up.

I'm studying for my fall class in Neurology.  I am a Graduate Ambassador and learned that if you get a 4.0 you can get a medal for graduation.  So far so good.