Fireside

Primary makes me happy.

Savanna's class LOVES drawing on the chalkboard. The drawings were about what Lehi's family would have taken into the wilderness. And what they would have left at home.

Tonight we attended the final fireside before Devin leaves to Wyoming. It's getting exciting. 2 1/2 weeks away!

It was wonderful to sit in the chapel and think of Martin's Cove and the memories of my experience as a Ma. After the meeting I was asked if wished I was going again. I answered with a resounding YES!

Later at home I thought of the pioneers experience and all that they would have gained from their travels across the plains. The experiences I had at Wyoming have helped my testimony of the pioneers and the early days of the church. I only glimpsed a tiny portion of their trails and joys but there is a lot I can apply to my own life.

I am strong. I am brave. I am faithful. I am obedient. I can do hard things. I can follow. I can lead. I can teach. I can listen.

These things I have learned about myself.
Though I haven't done anything like those early pioneers in my personal life, stalwart members plugging along holding firm to the faith are what is needed in this day. My life has a plan and those with simple uneventful lives are just as important as those who are called to sacrifice much.
Those saints did not expect to be an example to saints many years later. They just did what was required of them at the time. The things I do today may seem little and insignificant now but perhaps they will be important to someone many years from now. I will press forward.

I'm excited for Devin to go.

Lethbridge for Basketball

Jaidyn had a basketball tournament in Lethbridge this weekend. Karla sent the details and invited us to come watch if we could.

Saturday mornings Cassandra has training in Lethbridge. I was prepared to take in all who wanted to go (Cassandra, Maren, Evan, Tysyn, Rebekka). Everyone else was home in Raymond.

We would go to training then to watch ball. When we left Raymond too late to make training, we went shopping at Superstore instead. After shopping it was over to Henderson park to play and pass time until the ball game at the University. 

Karla, Holton and Mckenna met us there to play.
We are all looking at Evan under the trees.

Evan's eyes were bothering him and he found it helped to be out of the bright light. The shade from the trees didn't strain his eyes.


After Karla left to go get lunch, we ate ours. Then we headed over to the University to watch Jaidyn play ball.

Evan is on the teepee type merry-go-round and Cassandra is on the far blue disk swing.

Not a good picture but it's the only one I took of the game. I was too distracted talking to mom and Karla that I didn't catch much of the game. Sorry Jaidyn. She sat out a lot to be rested for their
final game later in the day.

Jaidyn's team won. Congrats girls!

The latest craze in the world is Unicorn food. Basically it is food that is brightly coloured or covered with sprinkles. I've seen bagels, drinks (milkshakes), and desserts (cheesecake, cupcakes, ice cream). All popular items.
Well our little three-year-old made her own variation.
In the cereal creamer!!!
She loves the creamer. It's stored on the very top shelf of the pantry because she loves to get into it. And eat it straight out of the can. Sometime when nobody was watching, Rebekka climbed the shelves in the pantry to get it. And also helped herself to the sprinkles that are stored on the top shelf.
I found the can filled with a variety of sprinkles and silver balls. It's looks so fun but I'm so not impressed. Unicorn hot chocolate anyone??

Road test

Devin has the road test for a drivers licence today.

I picked up the car from Mom H at 10:20am. She was kind enough to let Devin borrow it for his test.

I picked him up at the school at 10:25pm. We had to go back to grandma's to ask where the registration and insurance was. It was with us the whole time in a compartment in the car we didn't know about. Then he did a little driving and he practiced parallel parking again a few times before we headed to the registry office. We arrived in good time. While we were waiting, I leaned over andwhispered to Devin. "Say a prayer." Immediately he bowed his head and communed with Heavenly Father. It made me smile. After completing the necessary paperwork with the driving examiner, the two were our the door for the road test. I walked over to the library to get a few books on hold. I stood watching the car from the door til they pulled away.

He's off with the examiner.

I checked out my books and headed back to wait.

This is what I wrote while he was gone.

"I'm just sitting here waiting for Devin now at the insurance office/registry office. He's gone for his drivers road test. Let's pray that he may be successful. I don't want to have to do this again!"

He came back in and he was all smiles.

He passed!!

Checking out his score and showing me how he did. 

We filled out the paperwork to change over his license from learners to graduated.

And saw the insurance agent to add him to our policy.

Along with Brandon because apparently, Brandon has been on anywhere since he got his license. Oops.

The other day Devin told me that if he got his license then I would have to make arrangements with dad to get a ride or I would be walking home. Fortunately he let me ride. Haha.

(Umm Devin, who's paying for the vehicle.. looks like he may be the rider not driver!)

We headed back to Grandma's to drop off the car. He took a brief detour through the alley behind the manor and subway to go show me where he had to parallel park. (Near Bishop Tolman's)

We gave Grandma the keys back (the whole time Devin secretly wishing he could keep the car).

He accepted congrats from Grandma and then we gave hugs.

Devin drove the van out of the driveway to the high school down the street. He got out, I switched places and I drove home. He still had his bike to ride. Haha. 

Tysyn helped me deliver the meals today. He was pretty excited to get a treat for himself from the candy wreath. He was more excited to get treats for mom, Evan, Savanna, and Rebekka too. Thanks to Joy for all those!!

This is Devin's road test stress relief:

He crashed on the couch this afternoon.

It's been a lazy afternoon. So lazy that I had a nap. But it wasn't restful for me. I have so much jaw tension that I felt like I woke more tired then I started.

Evan missed a friends birthday party that we forgot about. Oops. He wasn't as upset about it as I thought he would be. Thank heavens.

Devin had a soccer game in Cardston tonight. He really wanted a vehicle to be able to drive himself there but we said no. He went with a friend. 

Work and play

Tysyn had a play date with Benson this afternoon. He's been asking to go for days and it finally arrived. Rebekka wanted to come but Tysyn said she had to play with Greta. He wanted a playdate all by himself like Evan got awhile ago.
Tysyn ended up all mad. As we pulled in their driveway, he said he wasn't going anymore and he was going home. All because his sister was getting to come too. Rebekka went inside and Tysyn started to walk away down the block. I ignored him so he turned to come back but only stopped as far as the sidewalk. I went to go get him, but he turned and walked away further again only going further. But As soon as Tysyn had gone as far from mom as he dared, he flopped on the grass. Oh course I had to take a picture.

That's him, in the bright neon orange Nike hoodie, on the neighbours lawn two houses away. 

Finally I gave him enough time to be sad and I ran down the sidewalk to him. When I reached him, I flopped on the grass beside him moaning and groaning just like he was. He was still mad as I picked him up to carry him back. He was kicking and trying to resist me. Mom was more in control. and tough enough to handle a squirming, grumpy 5 year old. I sat on the step with him for a minute then Aunt Sheralee was able to sit him on her lap to talk to him. He listened to her, then hopped to my lap for hugs and a breather. Then he got up to play as if nothing happened.
Kids. 

Dallin and Heather had sewer back up in Lowyn's rental so Jeff was called to help. He's been helping for two days. 

He dug to find the pipe with the hoe attachment on the tractor. Then he helped get the trench ready for the new pipes. I stopped by to see him, say hi, and check out the job.

Ta da. All done.

I dropped off Savanna at the soccer field and Devin went to the football fields after school today.

Savanna is so excited for her first day of soccer practice. Her coach (Toby Lyons) will be really good. She really wants her little team to learn the fundamentals of soccer.  I'm excited for Savanna to have fun in soccer. Savanna's coach invited the siblings participate in the practices. I let coach know that the Hardy kids would have to watch. It's her time and she has watched her siblings many times. They can watch her now. The older kids can play with their own teams and the youngers are too distracting to Savanna's attention.  

At the football fields Devin did some football drills with Adam Burton and Garrett Hasagawa. Jimmy Ralph was also there to instruct/coach the boys. The boys really loved the time Jimmy gave them to work with them on the drills. Devin was pretty happy about it. That's some pretty great mentoring.

After supper Devin and I went for some more driving practice. He goes for his road test in the morning.

Good luck tomorrow Devin!

Who are you calling?

Some of the kids were getting ready for school and to go out the door. I was talking to Evan about wearing a helmet when he rides his bike. Devin, at the bottom of the stairs, thought I was talking to him.

Devin: Mom. Mom. What do you want??!!!!

Kim: Evan!! I said Evan. Not you.

Devin: Flip. (He didn't say flip; I just used a nicer word..) Why did you name us like that???

Usually when I need the kids attention, I'll call them by their first and middle name. Especially for the four that rhyme with another.

Aaren is a dynamic kid. There isn't a lot that he isn't willing to do or try. Awhile ago, he took it upon himself to master the Rubick's cube. He watched tons of "how to solve it" videos on YouTube and turned his cube around and around. It's boggling to me to watch him. After countless hours, he mastered solving a mixed up Rubik's cube.

When I see a completed cube sitting on the counter, I scramble it and place it back where he left it, and wait for him to find it again, just to watch him unscramble it. And Aaren is getting fast at doing it. He has timed himself doing it and he can get it done in under 2 minutes. Yup. He's mastered it.

Not great pictures, but it's hard to get them without him noticing. 

Somebody else scrambled it and he's at it again. 

Here is Rebekka trying to figure it out.
 

Soccer.

Soccer season starts today.

8 weeks of general chaos and family neglect. Mealtimes are out the window. The van is going to become the taxi shuttle service. And we'll be using much more gasoline than last month. All games and practices are now at the new Victoria park fields.

It's gonna be long and crazy!!

So to prepare myself I figured to take a pre season selfie. Sitting in the van. Where it's warm. Today is freezing!

I told the kids that I may come to some of their games but not to count on me being at all of them. With 6 kids playing soccer, I can't stretch myself that thin.

Soccer schedule

Evan: Mon/Wed 5:15pm

Cassandra: Mon/Wed 7pm

Aaren: Mon/Thur 7pm

Savanna:Tue/Thur 4:15pm

Maren:Tue/Thur 5:15pm

Devin: Wed/ Fri 7pm

Add in youth activities Tuesday evenings, Cubs, activity days, FHE, shooting training, work for the kids (refereeing, flagging, babysitting) and church meetings! Family life after school will be madness for the next 8 weeks.

U14 game just as it finished. My view from the van, behind the fence across the street from the hospital grounds looking at the new soccer fields.

Sunday and sore eyes

Today Evan woke with sore eyes. I woke to hearing him retching in the bathroom. I gave him some meds and that started to help. It would be nice to find the reasons for them and something to stop them. They are always so random. 

He came with us to church and halfway through sacrament meeting, they were hurting again. After sacrament meeting was over, I brought him home. He laid on the couch and I stayed until the hour was up. I suggested he take a nap. I needed to go back to the church to teach Savanna's (my) primary class. Jeff was teaching Elder's quorum at the same hour.

I'm not sure how long Evan lay on the couch after I left, but when we came home from church after, the table was set with the lace tablecloth, the plates and cutlery were on it and the napkins were on the plates. He noticed he forgot cups and placed them after we got home. It was a delightful surprise. The meds kicked in!

In my primary class we talked about the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. We made our own plates and practiced engraving on them. This is how mine turned out. The children thought it was really fun and kept them busy for quite some time. 

 

Sacrament meeting was really lovely today.

Our ward had a meeting for those not of our faith. We had opening song, prayer and then announcements. Then we had a youth speaker, Ben Merrill, talk BEFORE the sacrament prayers were said. To those that come to church regularly, it was SO DIFFERENT but cool. He explained the reasons for the sacrament and the process of the sacrament through doctrinal teaching. I loved it and I'm sure for new visitors, it explained a lot. After the sacrament, we heard 3 talks on personal testimony, family, and the plan of salvation.

It was an exceptional meeting. As it drew to a close, I wished that I had been able to invite someone to join us. But I thought lots on my own personal missionary experiences as of late and realized that there is no one that I am close to that I felt like I could invite. And then I realized that though I have been thinking about having missionary experiences, I haven't been PRAYING to have missionary experiences. The Elders were in our home last week and encouraged us to pray about people to invite to church. Did I try my faith? Did I make an effort? Would the outcome have been different had I accepted the challenge with my whole heart? I've been doing a lot of pondering and self reflection since. Hmm.

I picked up Devin from a song practice at the Taylor Street Chapel after meetings today. He was persuaded by Carol Dahl to join her boys singing group. Despite being resistant to it, at first, Devin has been enjoying it. Carol is pleased that he is singing with the group, and annoyed that he has taken so long to sing with them. He surprised her with a delightful range that may give a few of the oldies, a run for their money. This was the conversation in the van on the way home.

Devin: "Nathan, Ben, Tanner and I are performing a quad song. A quadette?"

Kim: "No Devin; quartet."

Devin: "ya, that's it."

Kim: "When?"

Devin: "This Sunday or maybe next. I don't know. In sacrament meeting. At our church."

Kim: "Why?" 

Devin: "Because this reason. Why not!"

Supper at the dinner table. The other end often seems a long ways away.

 

Jeff presented Family home Evening tonight. We watched To This End Was I Born. He loves the old seminary videos. Everyone was glued to it.

There has been a few posts on the Raymond and area discussions Facebook page this past week that have given me lots to think about this week. Several people in our community have been struggling to feel accepted in several social situations. 

As I was watching the video, I thought of these people and of the Savior. I considered how I would be if I was in that crowd that sought Jesus's life. What am I like in the crowd now? Would I condem the Savior? Would I recognize his greatness and glory and speak out? Am I someone who shows an interest in others? Do I make an effort to include others and show kindness to everyone? Do I speak out enough now against that which is evil? Am I bold enough to stand up against ridicule and scorn to defend someone? Will I defend another? Am I my brothers keeper?

Deep thoughts...

For FHE treat we had yummy squares. Tysyn didn't like them. He didn't like the crunchy Rice Krispies.

Evan wants this in his recipe file when he gets bigger! 

Friday

Jeff stayed up ALL NIGHT last night to complete the cabinet drawer job he had to do. He finally got it done. They were picked up early this morning.

We got some rain today. And it's chilly! I'm grateful for the moisture. I'm not ready to turn the water taps on to see that the plants get moisture.

This was a nice random surprise today. The girls decided to clean their room!! All by themselves. Without me asking them to do it. Cooperating with each other and having fun together. (Ok maybe it wasn't fun, but they were together.) They had a lot of work! It took them 7 hours and have some more to do tomorrow. 

Too much stuff???

Cassandra taking a breakfast cereal break.

Not sure why her bed is so clean and Maren's isn't. I wonder where all the stuff on it went?? Hmmmmm. 

Maren's bed. She wants to sleep on the couch tonight and finish this mess tomorrow..

Jeff went to sleep after being up for too many hours. He fell asleep with his glasses on. This is how I found him. Too funny. Sorry Jeff. I couldn't resist the picture. His nose was fogging up the lense. 

I finally went to make Evan's birthday blackforest cake. But we didn't have anymore cans of cherry pie filling. Seriously??!! This is a crisis.instead of waiting another day, Evan thought we should try the blueberry pie filling. So I did. He also wanted to help decorate. This is his Easter Black Forest blueberry cake. We sang happy birthday again and ate cake. It was good but cherry is so much better!!! 

Spring coloured whip cream

Regardless of the color of the cream, it still tastes fantastic!! So good!

Evan's party

Evan has been asking for a birthday party with friends for several weeks before his birthday. After Evan making an effort to tidy up the yard by himself, I finally consented.

We had a party for him today. He was really good at doing the planning. He wanted hot dogs/wiener roast and planned to do an Easter egg hunt with the eggs he got at the town hunt. Evan also wanted to build with marshmallows and toothpicks.

The weather was great. A little breezy but nice and sunny and warm. 

Around the fire pit. Evan, Maren, Colton Galbraith, Braden Salmon, Isaac Sala, Spencer Hardy. Evan also invited Brody Beazer but he was unable to attend. 

Trampoline fun

Opening gifts. Thank you for the generous gifts!!

Marshmallow fun.

I had a super long nap after the party. Too many late nights finally caught up to me and I was done.

Devin was home from his camp this morning. They had a fun time. Devin hiked a mountain and swam in an freezing cold stream. He had lots of food and created some fun memories with the guys. 

We had a simple supper when I finally woke up. Sandwiches and whatever anyone could scrounge out of the fridge. Maren went to a lateover at Emily Miller's house.

Brandon was off to volleyball in Lethbridge with YSA friends. He goes into Lethbridge frequently to meet with young adults he has come to know.

Play

This morning while the kids were out playing in the yard, they found a nest of garter snakes out by the back garage. They were able to catch 1 of them but saw about 4. Because it is my blog/journal, I'm not going to post any pictures of it, much to the dismay of the kids. I HATE SNAKES. Actually I don't even like writing the word. Anyway, the kids have been around it all day and it has become Savanna's BEST FRIEND!

She has been holding it, stoking it and carrying it around all afternoon. So gross!!

I won't let them anywhere near the house with it. And they definitely have to wash their hands with a massive amount of soap as soon as they come inside. 

Evan started a fire this afternoon. I suppose you could call it a practice run for his birthday party tomorrow. The kids had fun sitting around the fire. Savanna holding the animal.

I wonder if she will be a vet when she grows up. She loves all animals.

This is how close the _ _ _ _ _ was allowed to come to the house. 

 

I did some baking this afternoon. We had some overripe bananas that were begging to be made into banana bread. So I made 6 loaves. 

We had the Elders come to our home for a visit tonight at 7pm. Just before they arrived, Savanna went to the dirt hills to let it go. That made her sad and me really glad.

We had a fun time with the missionaries. One of the Elders was so excited to see the ping pong table. Brandon had fun playing with him. We watched the new Easter video the church has put out. We are grateful for the knowledge that knowing our Savior Jesus Christ will bring us lasting happiness and peace in this world.

They asked Brandon is he would be interested in going on splits with them. 

As they left, I sent them on their way with a loaf of banana bread. Pretty happy Elders.