sleepy time milk

 dave's tradition:  sleepy time milk

the kids love it!  every once in a while, if everyone is ready for bed, dave will get out the coco-motion and make magical milk with secret ingredients (warm milk, sugar, vanilla and one chocolate chip) right before bed.  it makes them so sleepy they sometimes can't make it up the stairs to bed.  

vivian had her first sleepy time milk and LOVED it!  i'm sure she will now need all her milk frothed.

 oh, so sleeeepy!

 luckily, max had the strength to get in bed so dave could tell him an awesome story because dave's stories are the best!  someday we should write them down.  

pinewood derby

 kai's first pinewood derby:

 i was in charge of decorations.  i recruited sadie and i was quite happy with her crosswalk.  it reminded me of new york.  

 when the racers were called they ran through the door and down the street....just to add to the excitement.

 my boys were so excited for the pinewood derby.  kai knew exactly what he wanted to do for his car and max was determined to make one too.  

abe skipped soccer practice because the thought of missing the derby almost brought him to tears.  he raced his old car at the end.

 max made a penguin (suprise, suprise!).  it was pretty awesome!

 kai made the bus from the show, aquabats.  abe helped him and it was actually so well done.  i was totally impressed.  unfortunately, it was too heavy.

 dave drilled and drilled to get the weight down.  

he discussed it with kai and kai said to keep drilling, he wanted to race.  dave kept drilling it and was trying to hurry.  he ended up pretty much drilling the car to pieces and he actually drilled almost through his hand.  it was bad.  when the night was over, he escaped to his clinic and put some stitches in his own hand. 

kai was able to race though.

 he didn't win and was a little disappointed about the holes in his car.  poor dave!  not our week, one broken arm and a drilled hand.  i was totally impressed with abe and sadie's willingness to help and kai and max's efforts. 

highlight had to be when sadie bumped me to look at kai during the pledge.  it made us both laugh and smile at kai's salute.  he is such a great kid!  also, my neighbor took me aside and told me that her son's car barely made it over the finish line and was near tears, but abe helped him be ok with it and made it seem ok.  i was so happy to hear this because we had just read in the scriptures where Christ is carrying his cross and so many were mocking him and Simon asks Christ if he can carry his cross.  we talked all about being cross bearers instead of mockers.  this was a perfect example of having the chance to mock and choosing to help ease someones burden.  

phewf!! all said and done, not to be a poor sport but it about did me in, and i was happy when it was over!!

wanted

i saw this sign on the wall at one of sadie's basketball games.  i wanted to rip it right off and take it home!

bragging

 this week,  sadie was honored at an awards night for being in the top ten percent of her grade.  it was a nice night and a huge accomplishment, not to mention delicious food!

later this week, she was voted as freshman "best achieved" girl...  she was surprised!

congrats sadie, you will always be best in my book!!!

soccer

soccer season is coming to a close.  the boys have worked hard.

try-outs for next season are this saturday.  

abe played a game yesterday in roy.  

it was quite the drive and it reminded of our life in ogden.  dave coached kai's team at the same time in heber so all the kids stayed with him and it was just abe and i.  i completely enjoyed our long drive/chat, watching him work hard, and then going out to dinner with him.  we got home around 10pm...late night and a lot of travel for one game, but so, so fun to spend a few hours just the two of us.

 my mom and dad made the trek to the game and really enjoyed watching him play.

 dinner at one of our favorite places!

kai finished his season a little early due to his broken arm.  dave coached him this year and was able to somehow fit it in and spend some important dad time with kai.   they moved up in their division half way through the season because they had done so well.  the move was difficult for their little team because they are definitely playing on a higher level now, but the boys have worked so hard and have improved.  

can you believe the backdrop for our games?  we live in such a beautiful place!

 dave is a great coach.  he really made them a good little team!  kai was the leading scorer before he broke his arm. 

 max played rec soccer and was very serious!
 he probably scored 8 goals on average per game.  he would score afew times, then start crossing it to help a girl on his team score. it was great.  he would dribble down, then gaurd the ball til she got positioned, then he would pass her the ball.  so many close shots... he felt really good when she finally got one in!  he is used to keeping up with his older brothers so he thinks it's  ridiculous that at his age they don't have goalies... i loved watching him!!!

mother's day

my mother's day started with abe serving me breakfast in bed on a tray.  it tasted delicious.  he must have had a little help from dave with the cooking, but could tell it was his own doing because the menu was as follows:  scrambled eggs, cinnamon and sugar snack master, milk, two cookies and three chocolate bars!  Yum.  it has become his little tradition, then i tell him to climb in and we share and talk.    it was a great start to the day.

sadie and abe knew what i wanted most was to be ready for church early.  they were ready.  unfortunately, i was feeling lousy, but got ready anyway.  kai woke up also feeling extremely lousy.  head colds.  he knew i was all ready to go and he didn't want me to miss.  he kept saying that i could go, but when i told him i wasn't leaving him home alone, crying, he pulled himself out of bead and tried to walk upstairs.  he definitely wasn't feeling good.  i could sense how much he wanted me to have a good day and he didn't want to make me miss, so he was crying and feeling so lousy, yet he was up and trying just for me.  it was actually one of my favorite moments of the day because i could actually see and feel how much he cares about me.  he and I stayed home and we slept though all of church.  we both needed it!  when everyone got home, we opened presents.  sadie gave me a sweater and the nicest, most sincere note that made me cry.  abe gave me coupons that he made, for three free jobs.  they were awesome and even more awesome was his joking around about it... talking about all the fine print and disclaimers.  max picked me out an awesome, huge, sparkly ring.  he finds it for me and wants me to wear it:)  dave wanted me to have a great day.  he made sure the house was clean and planned dinner.  

we went to his parent's house for dinner.  afterwords, we went on a walk to the park by their house.  the kids love going there.  

vivian LOVED the swing!  i have never heard her squeal quite like she did when dave was pushing her!

 dave is such a good guy and dad!
i love to sit and watch him.
i'm really glad that we are parents together.
i love him.

max rode this old bike and cruised!  i think the soccer gloves helped him go faster.  he wears them everywhere lately...even school.

kai tried so hard to be calm with his broken arm, but who cold resist the swings?!

 sadie and abe brought their long boards.
 i observed my kiddos all day and once again realized how lucky i am to be a part of it all.

 vivian even loved riding the long board!!  cried every time dave took her off.

we ended the day at my mom's house.  we dropped off a gift and visited.  

besides not feeling great, it was a really good day.

i'm grateful for moms!!!

HAPPY MOM'S DAY!!!

love is the best medicine

 saturday afternoon, the boys and i were cleaning out my car.  kai was being a great helper, but momentarily took a break to stand on a skateboard.  the next thing i knew, kai was walking over to me saying, "i just broke my arm, i can't move it, it's broken."  he had fallen off the skateboard and his arm was definitely broken.  dave walked outside just in time to scoop kai up and set him in the car.  i had to walk in the garage and take a breath.  kai wasn't crying and remained quite calm.   i told sadie there was a change of plans and i needed her to tend.  i looked around for abe and found him next to kai in the car.  i said, "oh you are coming with us?"  his tender hearted response was, "yes, i asked kai if he would like me to come and he said yes."  abe had quickly grabbed a pillow for kai to set his arm on and he was next to him ready to go.  

as we drove, i looked back at the boys and saw abe holding back tears.  i think because abe experienced a broken arm, it pained him to know what kai was going through.   i could see abe's love for his brother and it was a pretty tender moment.

kai was so brave!!!  

at one point i told him it was ok to cry if he needed to and to tell us what he was feeling.  he teared up for a few seconds, but then he was ok again.  he said it wasn't hurting too much.

they injected his arm and we watched as it went white.  i stepped out of the room while they straightened it.  dave said you could hear the bone.  he also said he has never before seen such bravery and he has done this a few times.  

we went home and took it easy. 

 kai got up to go to church the next morning and hasn't complained much at all.  he even built his pinewood derby car and started piano lessons this week.  it makes me realize what a mature kid he is.  i also couldn't help but think about the atonement, probably because of my lesson last sunday.  when i saw abe in the back seat, tearing up, knowing exactly what kai was going through because he has also experienced it, i could feel his love and desire to comfort and strengthen his younger brother.  it reminded me of our savior.  i am grateful that our savior, our older brother,  knows what we are going through and can give us strength and enabling power.  also, i realize that we all have the chance to be saviors on mount zion to those around us.

i really love this quote from president packer:

The Lord provides ways to pay our debts to Him. In one sense we ourselves may participate in an atonement. When we are willing to restore to others that which we have not taken, or heal wounds that we did not inflict, or pay a debt that we did not incur, we are emulating His part in the Atonement.

i'm super grateful for kai.  watching him handle this with such grace has been impressive.  i have wondered if part of kai's bravery was knowing his brothers have done this before and feeling abe's care and concern.   i'm grateful for the love my kids have for each other.  it has been neat hearing them pray for kai and show compassion and love towards him. 

i read my dear friend's blog who is having some serious health concerns and her cute daughter told her, "love is the best medicine."

i completely agree.

love definitely is the best medicine!