Josh is FIVE & a sucessful Primary Program!

November 2011

 

Our Birthday Boy, "MR. FIVE"

Josh turned five on the 10th.  Now he's the official age of kindergarten.  He wanted a Thomas the Tank Engine cake and pillow pet for his b-day which is what he got for his special day.  He also wanted these flame rainboots and an umbrella to match that he had been eyeing at our local Fred Meyer every time we went so we got him those as well, along with some games, bath stuff and art supplies- then he was set for a fun 5th year of life!  After enjoying cupcakes with his preschool class earlier in the day, we let Josh decide on his restaurant of choice for dinner, he choose Red Robin, unfortunately (or later fortunately for our pocket book) everyone else (being no school the following day for Veterans Day) decided to head to Red Robin as well on a Thursday evening.  Red Robin was not prepared server and cook wise for such a crowd on a Thurs night so something happened to our order and our server and only three of the meals were brought, the rest of us waited, and waited, and waited until the ones who had gotten their meals were completely done eating.  Finally we just grabbed another server passing by (since our server was MIA and explained to them we weren't quite sure what was going on but the B-day Boy was still waiting for his meal, our little starving patient 5 year old along with the rest of the six in our party.)  That was all it took and the manager and most of the servers in the place catered to our every need.  They took the majority of the meals and all the drinks off our tab, (we only had to pay for the three meals that had originally came, which were three of the kids so it was only like $25.00, when the entire bill would have came to around $100.00) they even brought Josh a special large slice of MUD PIE for his free b-day dessert vs. the little sundae typically bring.  They apologized over and over, after the long wait- it all worked out in our favor in the end.  Josh then came home opened presents and the kids watched Cars 2, it seems to work out this way quite a bit that there is no school the following day after Josh's b-day so he always gets to party it up even if his b-day is on a week day. At Red Robin, Ellie won Josh a stuffed animal while we waited for our seats in that claw stuffed animal arcade game so Josh was happy about that as well, we also ran into our friends the McClellans who's son Nathan share's the same b-day as Josh as well.  Spencer went to Nathan's robot b-day party the following day and had a good time, then we saw them along with the rest of the primary children that Friday evening at the Primary Program Practice with the anticipated pizza before practice and rootbeer floats following as refreshments.  I think being a rainy no school Friday, the children were a bit rambunctious during the practice being cooped indoors all day long but as usual it's the Lord's program and the Children's Primary Program went over SO WELL Sunday.  It really makes all of your efforts on the parts of the children and leaders alike pay off.  Saturday night Matt and I had made the last session of the temple, it had been a busy week and a yucko rainy night so we weren't the most motivated to get there but we had been making efforts all October long and every time plans were in play to head over, something would come up.  We thought the previous Sat was wide open, then our family ended up helping The Tucks move into their new home all day (which we had a fun time doing) then we had planned to head over in the evening that Sat night but the fathers ended up being invited to the Deacons "Start the Fast" dinner and game night so it was important Matt went with Jarom to that.  So into November and the holiday's hitting, I knew it was this weekend or it'd probably be into the new year before we made a temple session.  After the program and songs went so well Sunday and the children were all so reverent, Matt asked me, "was that why you were so adamant about getting to the temple, to make sure the program went smooth?" Too funny... Matt being in the primary as the Sunbeams teacher, it made for our whole family participating up on the stand except Jarom (who passed the sacrament) and Brooke who sat with the Sasser's which was nice of them for watching her. I was especially pleased with Josh and those four year old boys, could not believe how well behaved they were up on the stand during the program (I was sitting on their side of the stand to aid in directing children, so I was able to eye him the entire program.)  The theme for this year was "I know the Scriptures Are True," and I'm certain the children portrayed their message, especially in their "Scripture Power" song at the end of the program...if anyone in the congregation was still sleepy from an early morning church session and was thinking of dozing off, this song was sure to keep them wide awake. It was also nice to see such great numbers at our program, they not only opened the over flow but then the doors to the gym as well, it was great!  The teachers and children were fabulous and did a wonderful job with their speaking parts, songs, special musical numbers, talks and testimonies. Way to go. Back to Josh to end our post, he's such a good kid and we love him and his fun creative personality, he's excited to start kindergarten and go to real school next fall~  enjoy being five kiddo, you'll grow up way too fast!          

 Happy B-day Joshie Blosh!

Veterans Day Concert

Nov. 14, 2011

Ellie has been loosing all of her teeth at once, the permanent ones have started coming in but if they don't hurry and start growing back- she's not going to have many here to eat with. 

Ellie had her Veterans Day concert last week.  A shout out to all of our Veterans past and present who fight for our US freedoms!  Ellie was "COLORADO" for one of the songs and "The Lights of Freedoms."  The children lit a battery operated candle when they sang each state, she was a bit worried she'd forget her state since for some reason she had a hard time remembering it off the top of her head before the program.  We had to think of ways for her to remember it so we thought of a shirt "collar" and figured if she just listened for that, she'd be good to go. Word is that she did remember and did a good job.  Matt took Ellie to her concert since I had a meeting for the Primary leaders for our stake.  These new year meetings are typically a dinner where they introduce the new primary theme for the year and they are usually well put together with great speakers, this year was the same as tradition so while I was a bit sad to miss the concert, I was also very pleased Matt was able to get home from work early enough to take Ellie to her concert. The messages that were given at the meeting were very uplifting and spiritual as they introduced the new theme for the year of "Chosse The Right."  They focused alot on "Come What May and Love It", along with finding happiness in our teaching with patience for our Heavenly Father's children and making every day a good day. During dinner, you mix and mingle with the other primary leaders from the other wards of the stake and the evening was nice to sit back and relax, however; I could have enjoyed my time a bit more with out the lady next to me with her topic of conversation for the entire dinner portion being "THROW UP."  I was thinking, you have got to be kidding me?!  Eating dinner, number one the last thing I want to realize is that the FLU has been in her home taking it's course for the last two weeks through all of her kids, number TWO the fact that she had just had it herself and wasn't feeling quite well enough to really enjoy her dinner.  So, she is right next to me, literally breathing on my plate as she goes about all of the events of her entire two weeks in detail of the throw up sessions of all her family members.  COME ON!!!!  If she was talking to me specifically, I would have quickly changed the topic of conversation, but she spoke mainly to other members of her ward that sat across from her- I mean do we really want to be talking about barf at the dinner table?  I think she was probably just venting from being cooped up in her flu-fest for weeks clearly not realizing how unappetising her stories of swimming in constant throw up came across to the other ladies sitting at the table.  I discretely tried to inch my chair closer to the lady sitting in the chair on the other side of me.  I know her "conversation topic of choice" had been her life as she knew it for the last bit but I was actually thinking in my head, is this really for real- I've got to be on candid camera or something, was this part of "an attention getter or lesson" for the speakers of the evening???...needless to mention the fact that I lost my appetite and felt like I needed to shower down to intoxicate myself from any flu bug germs before I entered back into our home that evening.  Throw up business is the last thing you want to bring home with you, even if it is that time of the year!     

Performing

November 2011

BreAnna's Performing Group has a list of events and places they will be performing their Christmas Dances at this Season.  They have already performed at the Arts and Crafts Festival over at the Tacoma Dome. The others will be the Festival of Trees, the Santa Parades, then they will also perform for the Cedar Ridge Retirement Center, Linden Grove and the Puyallup Senior Center.  Bre has always enjoyed performing, this has given her more of what she loves. It's a fun experience for her, she is having a great time with it along with spending a bit more time with her dance friends.  I especially am excited about the productions at the Retirement homes over the holidays, what a fun service to provide.  The receptionist of Dance Makers who is on of the owners mothers sews like a mad-woman.  She is always so giving in her quilts and sews hundreds of the most beautiful quilts each year to give away to charity, the needy and the elderly, it's really a neat thing she does with her time and talents!  Here's some pics of BreAnna's Ballet (Home Alone's "Some Where In My Memory") Jazz/Lyrical and Hip Hop (Funky Funky Christmas, remember the New kids on The Block?) Christmas dances.   

The Cutest Mousey Reverence Poem

For a sharing time, I found this great little poem on reverence from a past "Friend" issue.  Then found the perfect little mice for each of our primary children, that they were able to actually put in their pockets while the poem was read.  Thanks to Halloween time, the mice (sticky toys used for trick or treating/Fall festival treats) were easily found at Target.  I love the poem!

What If…?
By DaLee C. James

If a mouse would ride to church

In your pocket on this day,

What might he tell his family

That he heard you do or say?

Would he tell them you were reverent,

And you listened to your teacher?

Or would he say he’d never seen

Such a noisy creature?

Would he tell them how he loved the songs

You sang so sweet and clear?

Or would he groan from all the talking

That entered in his ear?

Could he take a little snooze

As you walked nice and tall?

Or would he scream with panic

As you galloped down the hall?

Would the little mouse get seasick

From the tipping of your chair?

Or would he feel safe and cozy

As you quietly sat there?

Would the chapel be a reverent place?

The sacrament the same?

Now tell me, would the little mouse

Be really glad he came?

If a mouse would ride to church

In your pocket on this day,

What might he tell his family

That he heard you do or say?

[illustration] Illustrated by Mark Robison

DaLee C. James, “What If … ?,”

Friend, Sep 1996, 22

Pink Leaves

Fall 2011

As we drive Josh to Miss Cindy's preschool twice a week, Brooke and I admire all of the Fall leaves and colors up in Lakeland Hills in Auburn, it's always so bright up there on the hill with the sunshine (when it's out and shining.)  We pulled over on our way back down the hill after dropping him off one afternoon last week and Brooke enjoyed playing in the pink leaves for a bit.  The pic of Brooke in her Fall coat and hat (picked that set up last year at the end of the season for a complete steal of 75% off the last marked clearance price at Fred Meyer and knew for that price it'd be perfect for Brooke this year and was I right?  Too cute indeed) well that pic was taken in our yard...our neighborhood has a bit of leaves but not so full of leaves- so the novelty of the many leaves up on the hill was a fun time for Brooke. 

Our Chickmunk

Nov. 7, 2011

Our little miserable guy woke up in the morning  looking like a chipmunk....um, from a molar coming in?

After tooth removal, Spencer just wanted to go home but he had to wait another hour for his sister's to finish up dance classes so he rested in the car with Brooklynne fussing in the back which made him a bit irritable so we picked him up a vanilla milkshake to help with the pain and suffering of the days events.  It was a bit tricky to suck through a straw still numb as can be but he managed to get it down and enjoyed it thoroughly.

After a visit to the dentist on Halloween day after quite a few x-rays, the dentist sent Spencer home saying that his terrible tooth pain that was coming from a baby molar with a filling was just sore due to another permanent tooth next to it that was coming through.  I though for sure it had to be an infected tooth due to the amount of pain and tears Spencer had been in.  After a miserable Halloween for Spencer who was still in a great amount of pain needless to say not a stitch of candy had been eaten by our biggest sugar-tooth of the family, he woke up the next morning with the left side of his face swollen up like a chipmunk.  Okay???  So this amount of swelling is normal for a tooth coming in?  I called the dentist and back we went, this time they did end up pulling the baby molar with the filling.  Spencer was in so much pain, like I said he's a tough little guy so I know it had to hurt.  He was a trooper, it took four separate shots of Novocaine to numb him all up and two an a half hours later before they were able to get that stinker of a baby tooth out.  Hopefully after all of this, Spencer will be more diligent in his teeth brushing sessions, I highly doubt he will be wanting to go through that again any time soon. 

New Activity Day Girls Leaders

November 7, 2011

The Girls have new Activity Day Girls Leaders for church.  Cindy Adams and Sharon "Gramma Conine," the girls are super excited about their new leaders! 

Deadlines Getting Met at Work

 November 4, 2011

Load em' up and ship them out.

Matt was happy to get their second shipment of the new Ford Escapes all complete and converted to Compressed Natural Gas at work, the ones shown above were shipped out to Las Vegas yesterday.  The shop has been in "high intensity" mode lately, they have many deadlines to meet before the end of the year and the whole World CNG team has been working really hard to get everything accomplished on time.  Looking at the numbers, the crew has their work cut out for themselves in the next two months. Including 40 Chevy Impalas coming in between the 7-15th of the month for our area in Seattle's "CNG Taxi Co" (for a total of 190 taxis converted this year in our Seattle area), on the 14th 21 more Ford Escapes coming in for Chicago's "Yellow Cab," 11 more Escapes going out to Las Vegas' "Bell Transportation", then 10 Escapes to Chicago's "Happy Cab," also 20 more of the 50 "Shuttle Express" vans for the Seattle area...most of which have deadlines before the end of the year. So busy, busy. The production of the business is going well...thanks to a dedicated Operations Manager.