The Wrights

Tal's blessing

2012-01-23T09:02:00.001-08:00

Tal was blessed a few Sundays ago; he was quiet and sweet during the blessing. I was overwhelmed at the support from our families. It's support that we have for all of our events, but it was powerful to me that day. It's pretty great to have lots of siblings who live close who like us enough to spend time and energy on us. We had friends come to the blessing, too, and folks from the ward felt like it was an important day. I feel so blessed to be connected to so many great people.

It was Talmage's day and he was a darling for the whole of it. Talmage brings a sweetness and softness into our home. We wanted him and are grateful for him.

rock climbing & swimming

2012-01-09T22:41:00.000-08:00

We spent New Years Eve at the South Summit Aquatic and Fitness Center in Kamas, Utah, with (who else?) our cousins. We discovered that the one fee included everything in the center. So we started by rock climbing, and finished up with a few hours in the pool.

We enjoyed a nice and reasonably quiet evening and at midnight we threw confetti on the front porch and the kids ran around the front yard with sparklers. Happy New Year! We welcome 2012 and look forward to the adventures that life has in store for us!

ice skating

2012-01-02T09:54:00.000-08:00

Thank goodness for holidays and cousins! We spent a delightful afternoon at the Olympic Oval in Kearns. It was a first time experience for most of our kids and after a couple of hours they got pretty good. We ended the day at our house with dinner and more playing. It was a good, good day.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-30T21:51:00.000-08:00

What a Christmas! Santa Claus came! We opened gifts and shared excitement. There were surprises and laughs. We went to Sacrament Meeting and had Grandma & Grandpa Wright and Suzy and Autumn over for a bit. We visited the wonderful neighbors to the east, and Gary, the guitar teacher, brought his amp over to jam with the kids on their new guitars. We had a sleepover with the Techmeyers and played loads of games. My heart is full. We are blessed.

matching pajamas

2011-12-27T19:55:00.001-08:00

Friday night, 9:15ish, December 23:
Anna: Mom, did you make Christmas pajamas?
Me: No, it felt a little overwhelming so I decided not to.
Anna: But didn't you say that it's not really that hard?
Me: Well, yes, it's not really that hard, but we have to make 6 pair.
Anna: Oh. [pause] Where's the pattern?
So I tell her where the pattern is and which fabric I intended to use and she disappears. My mind is 100 other places. Anna comes back to my room with everything to make 6 pair of pajamas.
Anna: Do you think we can make pajamas tomorrow?
Me: [Sigh] Sure. It'll be a fair amount of work, but we can probably do it.
Anna goes to bed happy, I go to bed hoping she forgets about the pajamas.

Saturday morning, 9:15ish, December 24:
I start cutting fabric, Anna reads the instructions, and starts sewing the inside seams. Jane helps put elastic in the waistbands, Lincoln carries around scraps of fabric. Mid-afternoon we finish. I'm very proud of Anna. She stuck with the project the entire day.

Saturday night, 9:15ish, Christmas Eve:
We set out cookies and eggnog for Santa (and carrots for the reindeer). We chitter chatter by the Christmas tree in 4 pair of matching monster jammies and 2 pair of matching orange with pink dot jammies.

Temple Square

2011-12-22T21:03:00.000-08:00

28 degrees + a bagillion lights + cousins + mittens + hot chocolate = a very nice evening.

nice voice!

2011-12-20T16:45:00.001-08:00

With no dance or piano recitals this month, the voice recital last night was especially enjoyable. Anna made her teacher cry. :) Anna's been taking for a year and a half, Zachary since September.

Here are some pictures from the last week that I like.

passwords

2011-11-11T18:19:00.001-08:00

Hi loyal friends. :)

Yep, I had to look up my password to get into my blog. That's bad.

We have a darling baby boy. We just finished soccer (girls) and football (boys) (well, we have a championship game tomorrow, then two banquets, and THEN we'll be done with football). Jer's playing in a volleyball league now, the boys have started basketball and Anna is working on her foot skills once a week in Utah County with her team.

We've got a house full of guitar players and piano players, 3 kids at the elementary and one in middle school. We enjoyed October and Halloween and having cousins in town. We're loving the crunchy leaves and fall weather.

I will post pictures. It's good to be back. :)

at the drive-in

2011-07-09T20:36:00.000-07:00

One of our funnest summer traditions is going to the drive-in. We had some cousins and friends join us for Cars 2 and Pirates 4. We didn't all manage to stay awake for both movies so we'll have to see them again.

at the cabin

2011-07-07T20:29:00.000-07:00

We spent several days at the cabin with my mom, siblings, and nieces. My aunt and uncle even joined us for a couple of days. It was beautiful and green, thanks to all the snow and rain this spring. We visited and relaxed. The kids enjoyed the zip line and a treasure hunt and playing on the ponds. The sheep arrived the same day we did and we had a very nice visit with Tony, the sheepherder, who offered to let us ride his horses. The kids had a grand time riding, as did some of my siblings and even my mom! We did some stargazing and smores making, and listened to my boys play their guitars. Zachary built a raft and the kids had a good time with that. We took the buckets off the sprinklers and got the snowmobiles moved. We enjoyed a full afternoon at the Kamas pool, and cake and ice cream for my birthday. It was a good time.

trip to Cali

2011-07-05T20:13:00.001-07:00

Jeremy's grandma is in her 90's. She does pretty well, but needs some help so Jeremy's mom, now retired, heads to Los Angeles each week. Jeremy, Anna, and Jane flew down with her and had a grand vacation!

They worked in Grandma's yard, pruned trees, weeded, planted some flowers, and fixed some sprinklers. They spent time visiting with Grandma and she seemed to really enjoy them.

Jeremy and the girls spent a full day at Knotts Berry Farm, played at the beach twice, and drove down to San Diego to see Jer's brother, Casey, and his family. There, they visited the Botanical Gardens, and swam at the pool. They spent a morning at Downtown Disney and really enjoyed the Lego store. It was an amazing trip for them, full of good memories.

Griffin

2011-07-02T20:19:00.001-07:00

Griffin, my sweet, kind, thoughtful, friendly boy turned 8 in May. He was so excited to be baptized. Griffin had tremendous support at his baptism, family from Utah and Idaho, friends from our ward and stake, friends from school, and friends from soccer.

When Griffin was baptized his toes popped up, the entire room gasped collectively, and Jeremy baptized him again. We feel blessed to be surrounded by so many good people and worthy priesthood men.

After the baptism, we had everyone over for hamburgers and hot dogs (Griffin's pick, after all, "everybody loves hamburgers").

Another cool thing about turning 8 is becoming a Cub Scout. The week after the baptism, Griffin got to go to the Blue and Gold Banquet and was recognized as the newest scout.

soccer soccer soccer

2011-06-29T20:30:00.000-07:00

It's fitting to include a small sampling of pictures showing how we spend our evenings and Saturdays...

hobbies

2011-06-28T15:44:00.000-07:00

We're hobby people. Thanks to my creative husband our children get their hands dirty and are invited to express themselves artistically. I haven't always loved that. I think I've mellowed over the years, and I really and truly love the creativity that I live with.

Jeremy teaches a pottery class one night a week through Murray School District (during the school year). He was invited for the 2nd year in a row to participate in the Murray High Arts Festival the last week of school. He gave demonstrations and gave pointers to students who wanted to try out the wheel.

It's neat to see him in his element. And even neater that our kids think that their dad is the coolest dad out there.

duets

2011-06-28T15:33:00.001-07:00

My kids were awesome at the piano recital... honestly, my favorite part of my recitals are the duets. Thanks to Daynes for having such an impressive recital hall and for giving my students the opportunity to perform on such a beautiful instrument.

James & Christy

2011-05-30T20:55:00.000-07:00

James and Christy were married in the Bountiful Temple! It was such a glorious day, all seven of my siblings were in the temple together, and we enjoyed the beautiful sunshine, and the spirit of the day.

It was such a glorious week, we stayed up much too late every night, and got up early to keep life running smoothly. I have happy memories of that week. It sounds crazy, probably, but Christy is the final piece. She compliments James in an amazing way and completes our family.

music and more music

2011-05-29T18:30:00.000-07:00

Several weeks back we enjoyed lots of company for my little brother's wedding. The boys enjoyed playing guitar with Grandpa, who was here from St. Louis.

Anna performed in her first violin recital, she played several renditions of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. She did such a nice job!

The four elementary age kids performed in the school choir concert. Zachary sang a solo: "New York New York", and Anna sang a solo for one verse of "Grandma's Feather Bed." It was a delightful concert featuring songs through the years. We had visitors from Maryland (thanks Mindy and Thomas!) and Grammy. We also welcomed Grandpa Tech & Linda as well as Grandma & Grandpa Wright to the evening performance.

being trustworthy

2011-05-26T20:54:00.000-07:00

Last month Zachary and Anna were both recognized in the monthly Character Ed Assembly for being trustworthy. Way to go! Some of Zachary's best friends were recognized also, it's great to have good friends!

hunting

2011-05-26T20:30:00.000-07:00

Easter was just fun. The kids dyed eggs, hunted plastic candy filled eggs, and multi-colored hard boiled eggs at Grandma Wright's (fun with cousins!) and at home. Fortunately, Scout found and ate only one real egg.

ANP

2011-04-25T20:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, look, life gets busy. We went on a phenomenal trip last fall, it may have been the highlight of blogging for me. Cool things kept happening, of course, but somehow it didn't end up on my blog. My baby turned 1, we spent time at indoor soccer games and Jr. Jazz games, started violin lessons and guitar lessons, went sledding and snowmobiling, hung out with cousins, and did some cool things in school. Jer got a new computer so I got his old one (better than the one I was previously using), and that shifted my photo situation. I've got it sorted out, am in the process of backing up all my pictures (and boy do I take a lot of 'em!), and am going to post some pictures tonight. Thanks, mom, for the kind requests to put some new pictures on.

Last week was spring break. We try to make the most of our vacation days so we planned a trip to Arches National Park. It was a glorious five days. We hiked, enjoyed cool weather (with only one thunderstorm), and hiked some more. My brother, Michael, and his fabulous wife, Colette, spent several days with us and we sure enjoyed them. It's always hard to pick which pictures to share, these are only a handful of my very favorites.

is a quarter really 3 months?

2011-03-15T09:20:00.001-07:00

After a full quarter of absence, I'm back. We've been busy, the good kind of busy. In changing my background, I'm committing myself to returning to the blogging world. It's not a journal, really, for me, but the highlights of what is happening with my favorite people along with some of my favorite pictures.

lights

2010-12-13T08:41:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed the lights and nativities at Temple Square Saturday night. The weather was pleasant and we discovered quickly that the flat tire on the stroller was a blessing (it's much easier to maneuver with a baby on your shoulders) inasmuch as thousands of folks had the same idea we had. Despite the crowds, we had a lovely, festive time.

Scout

2010-12-01T08:45:00.000-08:00

Meet Scout, the newest member of our family. She is an 11 week old female chocolate lab. She's named for the spirited, adventurous, bold young lady in the classic, To Kill a Mockingbird. Scout is house trained, loves a good rawhide knot, and adores her pack.

my littlest piano player

2010-11-30T13:19:00.001-08:00

54

2010-11-22T06:30:00.000-08:00

Zachary played tackle football this fall. He loved every minute of it (and that is not an exaggeration). Football is a pretty major time commitment, but "completely worth it!" He played defensive end and special teams, got knocked down, sacked the QB in a few games, won a few, lost a few, and got some pretty cool shaped bruises. Go Jordan!

A BIG thanks to everyone who came out to games and supported our kids this fall! We dedicate a lot of time and energy to sports and we appreciate the support we get from our loyal fans!

fall soccer

2010-11-22T05:50:00.001-08:00

Soccer is a big, and good, part of our lives. This fall we cheered for blue, lime, and purple.

loyal to the end

2010-10-26T19:07:00.000-07:00

Our good ole boy, Max, passed away last Friday morning. He was almost 13. That's a lot of years of kids loving him and climbing on him and running and swimming and chasing birds. We reminded each other of how he would howl when a siren was close, how he loved having a water gun or hose shot into his mouth, and how he loved to chase cats. He loved to sleep inside with his boys and be where his family was. He loved to camp and hike and swim and snowmobile.

Max was a good dog. We miss him.

Day 10

2010-09-24T20:41:00.001-07:00

We ate a tasty breakfast (thanks, Clinton), tidied up the joint, got packed, ran an errand, took a few pictures of the cousins (since we'd only taken a thousand or so), and grabbed a sandwich on the way to the airport.

Thanks Mindy, Clinton, Lizzy, and Emma. Thanks. Wow. What an experience. How do you even describe it? We saw and did so much, we walked miles, and learned more than we imagined we would. I believe this trip has impacted my children. It was an adventure. It was amazing.

Day 9

2010-09-23T19:34:00.000-07:00

--Museum of American History: saw the Presidents exhibit and the Price of Freedom exhibit, touched a piece of the Berlin Wall, saw the Continental Gunboat Philadelphia 1776 and Dorothy's ruby slippers
--Lunch: on the National Mall :)
--Back to American History: Planes Trains & Automobiles exhibit, inventor room
--Arlington National Cemetery: watched the changing of the guard, explored, walked to Arlington House

Day 8

2010-09-22T19:08:00.000-07:00

--National Museum of Natural History: saw Rexy, chatted with a dinosaur expert/docent, touched dinosaur bones/teeth/poo (turns out it doesn't smell), learned how to tell whether the bones are real or replicas, saw the mammal exhibit, ocean exhibit, giant squid, Hope Diamond, gems and rocks, 1600's skeletons and forensics, had a good conversation with the kids on what we believe about the theory of evolution, and loved the hands on exhibits for the kids
--Lunch: picnic on the National Mall, played a little frisbee, then back to Natural History (to finish all the exhibit halls)
--National Museum of American History: Lincoln exhibit (really cool!), Star Spangled Banner (it's huge!)
--Walk to the White House (to see the other side)
--It was a good and busy day. I'm taking an average of 100 pictures a day. I wonder how many miles we've walked.

Day 7

2010-09-21T19:15:00.001-07:00

--Bureau of Engraving and Printing: saw how money is made (quite interesting), stood next to $1 million (in 20s).

--National Mall Junior Ranger certifications: the kids worked on their packets for a few days, answering questions and learning about the monuments on the Mall, so they got their badges,a certificate, and a bouncy world ball (a fabulous toy for walking around a busy town).

--Washington Monument: got tickets, rode the elevator to the top, the day was beautiful and clear, had lunch in the shadow of the Monument, played ball and laughed.

--National Art Gallery (fine and modern art): we didn't spend a great deal of time here, Zachary suggested that the sculptors were perverts and Anna was uncomfortable with the immodesty in the paintings. Jeremy would've like to have spent a little more time there, inasmuch as he's studied art history. The underground walkway was very creative (last picture).

--National Air & Space: we went back to spend some more time in the stars and outer space exhibits which the kids really loved.

Day 6

2010-09-21T18:59:00.000-07:00

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Civil war cavalry reenactment (super cool!), movie, cinema-in-the-round, museum, auto tour of Gettysburg, history, stories, cannons, monuments (over 1300 of 'em), Junior Ranger program (it included hard questions!), nice picnic, very full day. When reflecting on the day, Griffin said "I didn't laugh at all today." We had a good time.

Day 5

2010-09-20T17:56:00.000-07:00

Mt. Vernon, President George Washington's home
Fall Colonial Festival: we met George Washington, Martha ("everyone calls me Patsy") Washington, the lace maker ("You shall be my lace makers because you are poor, I will pay you a penny a week." "We're not poor." "Of course you're poor, look at you!"), the housekeeper ("Dinner will be served at 3 of the clock"), the rat catcher ("I've only caught 16 today"), a broom maker, a potter, soldiers, scouts, privates, infantry, a sword swallowing fire breathing entertainer, camp followers, laundry ladies, dress makers, weavers, spinners, musicians, a blacksmith, and a surveyor. We took a boat ride on the Potomac River, saw a reenactment, observed the garden and out buildings, toured the mansion, visited the tomb, and wandered the museum. It was a hands on, fabulous day!

Day 4

2010-09-20T04:37:00.001-07:00

--White House tour
--National Mall: World War II Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Korean Memorial, Roosevelt Memorial, Constitution Day, Jefferson Memorial (a LOT of walking, but pretty dang cool)

Day 3

2010-09-19T19:47:00.000-07:00

--National Archives: Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, Constitution
--National Sculpture Garden: lunch, cool fountain, bizarre "art" sculptures
--National Air & Space Museum: planes (commercial, military, WWI, record breaking, Amelia Earhart's red, Spirit of St. Louis), rockets, Space Stations, lunar crawlers, Apollo craft, paper airplane contest, Wright Flyer (super cool!)
--Mall: frisbee in the warm rain, completely and insanely memorable!

Day 2

2010-09-18T19:13:00.001-07:00

We took our first ride on the Metro. The kids thought it was pretty cool, and it was. We went on a tour of the National Capitol with an intern from Congressman Jason Chaffetz' office. The rotunda was a powerful sight and we stood on the star in the center of the Capitol (and the original center of the city).

Next we went to the Library of Congress. The architecture was beautiful, and we saw a collection from Thomas Jefferson's library.

We spent a few minutes at the Supreme Court.

We walked to Union Station, another cool place.

Day 1

2010-09-15T18:29:00.000-07:00

Our plane left at 6:55 a.m. This was the first airplane adventure for them and they loved it! I was fun to watch the kids be responsible for their own luggage, boarding passes, and carry-on stuff. They seemed very grown up. The pilot let the boys sit in the cockpit and explained how some of the instruments work. Griffin said the best thing about the plane ride was the sprite, Zachary liked the roller coaster feeling.

We arrived in Baltimore mid-afternoon and enjoyed dinner with my sister, Mindy, and her family. Then we went to the Washington, D.C. temple. It's a very commanding, beautiful temple. We walked on the nature trail and saw deer and then spent a bit of time in the Visitors Center.

first day of kindergarten

2010-09-03T08:53:00.000-07:00

Wow, Jane is in kindergarten all day. I miss her. Lincoln misses her. She is loving it. She is in her element. She is following all of the rules, has new crayons, and already has two best friends (and one "sort of" best friend, but only because he goes to church at the same time as her).

first day of school

2010-09-02T08:22:00.001-07:00

On the first day of school, the kids got to shake hands with the principal, give Sharky a high-five, and walk in on the red carpet. School is going well, the kids have good teachers, and we're walking to and from school most days. I appreciate the structure of school and the way it helps us to manage our time.

at the drive-in

2010-08-30T20:22:00.000-07:00

We realized on the second to last day of summer vacation that we hadn't been to a drive-in. The kids packed up the bean bags, Jer filled the cooler with otter pops, and off we went. We saw Toy Story 3 (fabulous!) and Despicable Me (I understand it was really good, I fell asleep). Now that's a fun tradition!

cowabunga

2010-08-27T19:01:00.001-07:00

We had a fantastic day at Cowabunga Bay. and yes, it is as fun as it looks! The lazy river and pool were so comfortably warm that Lincoln fell asleep while we were in the water. There were clever squirt guns on the walks up to the water slides and lots of cool slides. An added surprise bonus was seeing some friends there.

Wheeler Farm

2010-08-26T20:31:00.001-07:00

We filled the last couple of weeks before school started with good things. We enjoyed a couple of hours at Wheeler Farm with friends.

Erin and I met in 1997ish and worked together for several years. Erin made Zachary his favorite blankie, we drove to Idaho for Erin & Mike's wedding, and we camped a time or two. For lots of years we spent time together. Our lives got busy and we didn't see much of each other for a long time even though we live close. It was so great to visit and catch up.

I'm grateful to the blogging world that has allowed me to keep up with her sweet little family, and allows me to stay connected with many great people even though we don't see each other or talk. I'm grateful for Erin and for all the good friends in my life who lift me and who impact my life for good.

imagination

2010-08-25T16:55:00.000-07:00

sweet

2010-08-24T08:56:00.000-07:00

super duper summer cousin birthday party

2010-08-20T11:55:00.000-07:00

Our Jones cousins were visiting from out of town and thought it would be fun to have a BIG ole party to celebrate all the cousins birthdays (since we don't get to share birthdays throughout the year). So, the Wrights and Joneses (all 50+ of us) had the party of the summer!!

We had water obstacle courses, water slides, hot dogs and hamburgers, 2 pinatas, birthday cake and ice cream, and finished with a late night movie outside on the tramp. What a party!! Thanks for the planning, the good food, the fun company, and the great memories!!

hail in August

2010-08-13T18:15:00.000-07:00

girls camp

2010-08-12T17:26:00.000-07:00

Girls camp was a few weeks back, we spent three days at the cabin. Our focus came from Joshua 1:9, "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed; for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."

It felt like a success to me. All of my girls attended and participated, they completed their certifications, we hiked, slept very little, and had some spiritual experiences. I feel so grateful to Grandma and Grandpa Wright for the legacy they left which allowed my girls to have some special experiences.

East Canyon

2010-08-11T16:26:00.000-07:00

We spent a few days with the Techmeyers at East Canyon Resort, just up the canyon. We had a fabulous group campsite and enjoyed cooking over open fire, playing volleyball and horseshoes, playing at the lake, playing in the river, playing at the pool, hiking, working on some merit badges with Zachary, playing with cousins, visiting, working on projects, watching a movie (projected on the side of the trailer), and relaxing. We saw some wildlife up close including skunks in our campsite (more than one night) and raccoons (who succeeded one night in acquiring some food). Thanks to Aunt Sybil and Uncle Daryl for being members and inviting us to a real nice place. Good, good times.

yummy brown-eyed baby

2010-08-03T07:23:00.000-07:00

I love my backyard

2010-08-02T15:59:00.001-07:00

experiences

2010-07-31T12:52:00.001-07:00

June and July: pack, cousins in town, unpack, laundry, repack, Wright family reunion, unpack, laundry, repack, 4th of July, unpack, laundry, repack, business trip, unpack, laundry, repack, Techmeyer family reunion, unpack, laundry, repack, girls camp, unpack, laundry... um, what shall we do this week? :)

We've had a great couple of months. Pictures to be posted soon...

our newest cousin

2010-07-20T08:54:00.000-07:00

Welcome sweet Autumn, we look forward to watching you grow. :)

swim team

2010-07-12T22:25:00.000-07:00

Zachary and Anna are on the swim team this summer. They swim 4 times a week in the morning, have learned a lot, and are getting better and faster. The first swim meet was last week. They both swam in a handful of races and performed well. We were so tickled that Anna got 1st place in the 25 meter free style and Zachary got 2nd place in the relay. Way to go!

fireworks and family

2010-07-11T20:25:00.001-07:00

July 2: Zachary bought $25 worth of fireworks. Everyone was excited about them and discussed them. It turned out to be quite a good investment as the selection was varied.

July 3: We had a tasty barbeque at my mom's house with my siblings. Then we headed over to

West Point Park to sell glow sticks (and other glowing, blinking toys). For several years we've been having fund raising type events and then spending the money on our family trips. It's not so much about the money, but the good times that we have together. We watched the fireworks show and finished off the night counting money and eating ice cream. Good times. :)

July 4: We had dinner with the Wrights and then came back to our place for Zachary's fireworks show. Suzy and Brannon came and enjoyed with us. The weather was cool enough that we needed jackets. It was pleasant, relaxing, and enjoyable.

As a point of interest (and family history), I was blessed 34 years ago on Sunday, July 4, 1976 in California. President Jimmy Carter encouraged all Americans to participate in a Bicentennial Project, something that would make a difference. I've heard my parents say many times that I was their Bicentennial Project, and that's neat to me.

more cousins

2010-07-07T21:10:00.000-07:00

We spent a week with the Wrights at Aspen Meadows (our cabin). During the week, all but one of Jeremy's siblings were there and it was so great to see everyone. There are 24 (almost 25) Wright grandchildren (we got to spend time with all but 5); it's such a blessing for our children to have so many cousins.

We drove to Smith and Morehouse and spent a bit of time canoeing on the lake. We rode on the zip line, played water balloon volleyball, launched water balloons, hiked to Elaine's Meadow, went swimming at the Kamas Pool (the most fabulous pool we've ever been to, it was used for athlete training during the 2002 Olympics), hiked to Timpanogos Cave, enjoyed the campfire, ate smores and lots of good food, celebrated my birthday (thanks for the calls and emails!), played in the ponds by the cabin, played and visited. It was such a nice week!

good times with cousins

2010-07-04T14:41:00.001-07:00

Several weeks ago my sister, Becky, and her family were in town and oh, we had a good time.

The kids prepared and performed for the family a play called "The 8 Angry Pigs." It's a funny play we found online that my sister, Sarah, adapted for our group. Thanks to a kindergarten teacher for the pig "costumes" and thanks to my brothers for being good sports and each taking a part.

The girls decorated flip flops, the boys played air soft and the x-box 360, we played cards and capture the flag. We had a birthday party and good food, lots of visiting, and not enough sleep. Everyone was here except Mindy and her family who live back east (we missed you!).

The grand finale of our time together was a day at Boondocks (a family fun center). We drove race cars, squirted people on the bumper boats, played laser tag and video games, and finished with a round of miniature golf. It was loads of fun! (We went on a Tuesday, crowds were minimal, and we got a group (10 or more) discount, so it worked out well!).

What a great way to spend five days!

field trips

2010-07-01T07:51:00.000-07:00

We feel like we have a nice situation going on. We have a home based business which, of course, has pros and cons. The number one pro is that both Jeremy and I are home. Since we both work, we developed a nice plan for the summer. Said plan fills the needs of our children whilst filling the needs of our business. One of us works (depending on who has the biggest workload) while the other one is the parent. It's not completely perfect, but it protects against our children running the streets of the neighborhood unsupervised and, for the most part, it works.

Jeremy took the kids on the first field trip of the summer to the Museum of Natural History at the University of Utah. It's a great museum with some really cool exhibits, and is ideal for all ages. Admission is free on the first Monday of the month; if you go, you'll want to get there when they open (9).

The first week of summer, the children prepared a Parks Assessment chart (Zachary created it in excel) so we're trying to go to several parks a week. The kids are keeping track of several items (shown in the chart) including how many slides, if there's adequate shade, type of ground cover, if there is a drinking fountain, and a handful of other important park aspects. So by the end of the summer we should have a pretty good list of the best parks in the area.

Linc

2010-06-30T20:16:00.000-07:00

Our Lincoln is 6 1/2 months old and 17 chubby pounds. He's got two bottom teeth and loves to read. He likes to scootch on his back and play in his jumper. He is sleeping about 10 hours at night. His talents include, and are certainly not limited to, laughing, drooling, putting things in his mouth, and acquiring items that are just out of his reach (to put in his mouth).

I love his soft skin and adore his rolly body which allows his toes to reach his mouth. I take pleasure in listening to his jabbering and cherish how his face lights up when I come into the room. Oh, he's a darling. We are so blessed to have him and we are enjoying him so much.

summertime

2010-06-30T14:49:00.000-07:00

Summertime, summertime, sum, sum, summertime...

I can't believe it's the end of June. I haven't blogged, journaled, or even written letters. This is what we've been up to...

reading 30 minutes a day, practicing the piano, hiking to Timpanogos Cave, camping with cousins, playing water balloon volleyball, swimming, weeding the garden, canoeing, making smores over a campfire, driving race cars at Boondocks, playing laser tag, going miniature golfing, taking pictures, watching movies, mowing lawns, building with legos, going to the library, playing at the park, doing craft projects, acting in a play with cousins, riding scooters, eating popsicles...

We've got two more months of summer and we're going to pack as much in as we can. Pictures to follow...

piano recital

2010-06-07T16:32:00.000-07:00

"Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without." --Confucius

My students performed well at the recital, I was so pleased.

Jane began the recital with Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater. The children all played solos, Zachary and Griffin played Yo Ho (yo ho a pirate's life for me) together, and Anna played This Land is Your Land with her friend. Lincoln slept through the entire event, sweet boy.

graduation

2010-05-26T11:35:00.001-07:00

Congratulations, Jane, for graduating from preschool! Jane recited Humpty Dumpty and received her Diploma and Certificate of Excellence. Miss Tiffany is top notch and we love her! Kindergarten, here we come!

pirates

2010-05-25T10:20:00.000-07:00

These are some of the nicest pirates I've ever encountered. I couldn't resist posting these pictures. :)

Griffin

2010-05-24T20:39:00.000-07:00

My Griffin is 7 years old! He had a fun birthday with calls, cards, and gifts from lots of people, took treats to school, and had lasagna for dinner. His soccer team sang to him after his game, and we finished off the day with ice cream sundaes.

Griffin had a pirate party with his friends the next day. The treasure hunt took the boys to various parts of the house and yard, and to the neighbors' yards; the buried treasure was found in a chest under a pile of dirt. Aargh!

Griffin is a kind, thoughtful boy who loves to play soccer, run, play the piano, be creative, use his imagination, and build things. He enjoys reading and excels at math. Griffin is a peacemaker, has an infectious laugh, and sneaks in some tricks. He is such an important part of our family.

thanks

2010-05-11T12:58:00.001-07:00

Thanks for the nice notes, the service coupons, and the gifts you gave me on Sunday. Thanks for introducing me to the Septimus Heap series, teaching me about biographical characters, and reminding me that a+b=c. Thanks for reminding me that long necks (dinosaurs) ate the tops of the trees and that mammals have babies like our baby. Thanks for reminding me to keep the speed limit and helping me to be okay when you want to A-Team it into the car. Thanks for reminding me that if I'm nice to people then I'll have friends and that if I send someone stickers in the mail that they might send me a letter back. Thanks for helping me to be creative with meals and being okay when it doesn't taste super great. Thanks for making me relearn facts from U.S. history and for reading out loud to me when I ask you to. Thanks for teaching me that anything worth knowing can be found on ask.com and thanks for teaching me about the google bar. Thanks for being enthusiastic about life and for teaching me things I never thought I'd learn. Thanks for reminding me that oftentimes creativity requires making a mess, but that most things clean up pretty well. Thanks for teaching me to be patient and for being patient with me. Thanks for making me stretch. Thanks for all you do to make my life busy and happy and full.

chubby ankles

2010-05-09T20:32:00.001-07:00

We have a very cute, chubby baby. He has chubby cheeks and legs and fingers. He has a chubby body and a little chubby belly.

We recently learned that Jane told her Primary teacher that her ankles are chubby. When I questioned her about it she said "well, her ankles ARE chubby."

are all of you related?

2010-05-04T12:03:00.001-07:00

We enjoyed Saturday evening at the Real soccer game season opener! We had good seats and enjoyed the game (it was fun that they won, too!). After the game we hung around for a few minutes and ate a churro while we looked at the stadium. I thought it was a cool picture so just as I was ready to take the photo, Leo the Lion, the Real mascot, jumped into the picture, gave all the kids high 5's, and then headed off to the other side. It was a pretty cool ending to a fun night!

When we first sat down in our seats the man sitting behind us asked "are all of you related?" I looked at him and responded, "yes, we are all related." "Wow, how many kids do you have?" With a smile, I responded "We have five."

As I've thought about his question off and on over the last couple of days I've thought about how important each of my children, individually, are to me. I've thought about the impact they have on people around them. We planned for each of them and wanted each of them. I am grateful for them, for the ups and downs that we have together and individually. Once again, I feel overwhelmed at how blessed I am.

can you do this?

2010-05-03T12:43:00.000-07:00

It's evening, the kids are getting ready for bed, I'm sitting at the table finishing up some paperwork, Zachary comes in and sits down next to me and we start visiting about his day. He asks "Mom, can you do this?" I look up and smile. He looks funny! I can't do it. He tries to teach me, and I still can't do it. We're laughing. Griffin and Anna come in. Griffin gets it pretty quickly, Anna doesn't. Apparently Anna has my genes. We're laughing. Jane comes in and can instantly do it. With some more work Anna can do it. It was funny. I enjoy laughing with my kids.

girls soccer

2010-04-29T12:40:00.000-07:00

... just enjoying soccer season with the Yellow Sunshine (very appropriate name for a cute little team of 4 and 5 year olds) and the Purple Plumbers (we're not sure who or why they picked that name, but at the end of every game when the opposing team comes to ask what their team name is they always ask "what?").

art studio

2010-04-28T08:56:00.001-07:00

Jeremy is a thinker and a dreamer. I tease him that he, like his grandfather, is a product of the depression. He saves other people's junk with his own plans to build something specific with it. And, to his credit, he does just that.

He's wanted, and planned for, a studio for a long time. This studio will be used for pottery, art, and creativity, all things Jeremy loves. Because he loves these things and because he shares them with our children, our children love these things, too.

Of significance is the large sliding door which came from Grandma and Grandpa Wright's home. I'm grateful that they're part of this project.

Our kids are lucky. They're thinkers and dreamers, just like their dad.

pjs

2010-04-19T08:54:00.001-07:00

Zachary and I started a sewing project over spring break and finished up this weekend. Zachary did darn near all the work on these pajama pants and I'm proud of him. This morning he told me that his pajamas were very comfortable to sleep in. :)

thumb or binky?

2010-04-18T20:01:00.000-07:00

Lincoln loves his thumb. He's not picky, he'll take right or left. We try really hard to replace the thumb with the binky (for various reasons, most of which stemming from me sucking my thumb until the 3rd grade), but he sure prefers his thumb.

I like this picture because you can see his chubby wrist and fingers. He loves to sleep with his softy, too. Sweet baby.

soccer

2010-04-17T06:31:00.000-07:00

The boys playing spring soccer...

Linc

2010-04-15T13:17:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my 15 pound bundle of chubby love is 4 months old. We are completely enjoying this little boy. :)

super fun play group

2010-04-14T09:12:00.000-07:00

Saturday was my niece's baptism. She looked beautiful and had lots of support and love from extended family.

Afterward we went to my mom's house for a nice dinner and playing with cousins.

A bit later after the babysitter arrived (fyi: Zachary wasn't being babysat), the adults (plus two darling 4 month olds) went to Syracuse Spare Time Fun Center. A big thanks goes to mom for generously funding the evening.

Whilst listening to teenager-upbeat-hip-shaking-music we played a game of bowling (Michael won, everyone at least broke 50) and had a grand time. It was cool to see how fast (shown in mph) we bowled. Then we played a round of miniature golf, complete with black light and 3D glasses. It sort of made me feel sick, but we all agreed that it would be a fun date (for 16 year olds). We ended the evening with a few games of laser tag, the highlight of the night (in my opinion). We had the place to ourselves and divided into 2 groups (thanks again to mom who hung out with the babies). It was a complete riot!

The kids had fun without us (of course the older girls made a list of the injustices they faced by staying home rather than going out, and, perhaps more importantly, Anna has determined what kind of parent she is going to be!). We rounded out the evening with the kids and lots of options for our ice cream sundaes. What a fun night for all of us!

banana split pizza

2010-04-13T07:49:00.000-07:00

Recently Anna checked out a couple of cookbooks from her school library and we've tried a few with fabulous success. In addition to making a nice treat or part of a meal, she's working on doubling fractions and making accurate measurements, as well as discussing how to alter a recipe to make it taste even better (such as using milk chocolate chips which she prefers to semi-sweet chocolate chips).

Banana Split Pizza

1 pkg brownie mix

2 8 oz. cream cheese, softened

2/3 c. powdered sugar

1 c. sliced bananas

1 8 oz. can pineapple tidbits

1 c. sliced fresh strawberries

1/4 c. milk chocolate chocolate chips

1. Mix brownies as directed on box. Spray cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Pour brownie batter onto cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

2. Mix together cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. When brownies are cool, spread mixture carefully over the brownies.

3. Place strawberries, pineapple, and bananas on top, sprinkle with chocolate chips. Refrigerate before serving.

Happy Easter

2010-04-05T15:13:00.000-07:00

I bought the least expensive egg dye kit and we were surprised that it came with 12 colored tablets! The kids were interested in dipping the eggs in different colors and had a fun time discovering.

We had to wait for the snow to melt before having our egg hunt outside; we're pretty sure the kids found all of the eggs. It was fun to have Aunt Suzy and Uncle Brannon here for the Easter egg hunt and to watch General Conference with.

We also had a nice discussion over dinner about the real meaning of Easter and what we're really celebrating.

Lincoln

2010-04-02T13:22:00.000-07:00

Lincoln is 3 1/2 months old! He's a giggling, drooling, chubby, happy baby who loves his jumper, reading stories, and being tickled.

strawberry jam

2010-04-01T15:09:00.000-07:00

We got a great deal on strawberries and bought 3 flats. I chopped strawberries while Anna carefully calculated doubling fractions and measured all of the ingredients. We finished up our freezer jam in just under 2 hours. It was a very enjoyable time for both of us, I think. Anna is becoming a young lady and I am loving spending time with her.

Jane is...

2010-03-31T07:25:00.000-07:00

5 years old! Jane is happy, imaginative, busy, chatty, friendly, and obedient. Jane loves to play barbies, polly pockets, and cars. She loves to watch movies, color, paint, make bracelets, write the letters, be read to, dance, run, play soccer, carry a purse, and draw on her whiteboard.

Anna is...

2010-03-30T16:24:00.000-07:00

9 years old, energetic, friendly, smart, a great soccer player, a pretty singer, a talented piano player, determined, spirited, responsible, fun, creative, an amazing sister, a reader, a dancer, a camper, a bike rider, imaginative, service oriented, thoughtful, a note writer, a hard worker, a thinker, important, and kind.

am I a bad mom?

2010-03-23T09:53:00.000-07:00

So... what's worse...

that I supported my 11 year old doing bike tricks? OR

that I allowed my 6 year old to lay smiling underneath said trick? OR

that I was the one taking the pictures?

They're both wearing helmets. Doesn't that count for something?

skechers

2010-03-22T12:21:00.001-07:00

Conversation on the way to school this morning:

Me: Zachary, why are you wearing the shoes that have holes in them?

Zachary: Because I can run faster in them.

Me: I wish you'd wear your other shoes.

Zachary: Maybe I should get some running shoes.

Me: Okay, we can do that.

Zachary: Maybe some Nikes.

Griffin: You should get Skechers.

Me: Why Skechers?

Griffin: Because you can run fast in Skechers.

Me: Oh. How do you know that?

Zachary: We saw it on a commercial.

boys with boys, girls with girls

2010-03-22T11:43:00.000-07:00

Saturday the boys went to see Avatar on the big screen (in the nice theater which was a special treat (we're pretty much dollar theater goers)) and had some good boy time.

The girls and Lincoln (who always gets to go with me) went to the aquarium. We learned some cool facts and saw some neat exhibits which included sharks, South American animals, poisonous tree frogs, octopus, and loads of fish. We all thought touching the stingrays was a highlight (in the picture the girls are observing the stingrays and patiently waiting for them to swim close enough to touch).

yams

2010-03-21T13:36:00.000-07:00

Conversation at breakfast this morning:

Griffin: Yams are yummy.

Me: When did you have yams?

Griffin: I don't remember, I just remember that they're yummy.

Me: Oh.

Griffin: Can we buy some yams?

Me: Uh, sure.

Griffin: Where do you buy them?

Me: Just at the regular grocery store.

Griffin: No, I don't think so. We could probably find out on yams.com.

Red Rocks

2010-03-15T12:09:00.000-07:00

Friday night we went with my brother and his family to the University of Utah gymnastics meet. We had a fun time and were amazed at the athleticism and dedication of the gymnasts. The Red Rocks competed against three other top 25 teams and took first place. Lincoln was introduced to Twizzlers and is a fan.

Two of our cousins spent the weekend at our house. We saw Planet 51 (a fun Disney film about aliens), the kids slept in a fort, played soccer, and enjoyed another spring snowstorm. Good times.

being cooperative

2010-03-15T11:58:00.001-07:00

Anna was recognized at the Character Ed assembly last Friday for being cooperative.

A few weeks ago when I was volunteering in her classroom, I observed an interesting conversation: one of the tables hadn't gotten papers from the bin for the next project. When the teacher asked who was supposed to get the papers, the kids at the table replied that the student who is responsible for that was not there. The teacher asked what they thought a good solution was and the students grumbled a bit stating that they weren't going to get the papers if it wasn't their job. Anna, who sits at a different table, said "oh, for heaven's sake!" and went and got the papers for their table.

Hickory Dickory Rock

2010-03-11T17:42:00.000-08:00

Monday and Tuesday the elementary performed a school play, Hickory Dickory Rock, a darling theatrical production involving fairy tales. Zachary, Anna, and Griffin were in the play and had a great time dancing and singing.

Zachary and Anna were Jack and Jill, Zachary "ran" across the stage during Chariots of Fire, and Griffin was one of the Fiddlers Three.

Jane mentioned, "They're saying it all wrong, it's 'hickory dickory dock, the mouse ran up the clock.'"

It was fun that Grandma Wright and Midge (neighbor extraordinaire) were able to enjoy the play, too.

kick the can

2010-03-10T06:22:00.000-08:00

Sunday evening after most of our family and friends left, the children wanted to play outside. My brother, James, stayed to play kick the can, tag, and newspaper tag. It was SO fun!

My mom, Lincoln, and I mostly just watched.

I don't know what James was saying to

Griffin, but his expression in this picture is funny to me!

Lincoln's blessing

2010-03-09T13:51:00.000-08:00

Sunday seemed to me to be such a perfect day.

We went to Zoey's baby blessing first thing Sunday morning. Aside from a moment of panic when Lincoln had a blowout (thank goodness he was wearing an absorbent onesie!) it was a great meeting. Afterwards, we went to our ward for Lincoln's blessing.

Jeremy gave Lincoln an amazing blessing and I felt overwhelmed by the powerful men who participated in the blessing. Lincoln fell asleep. A man who had been baptized the day before was confirmed. It was a spiritual meeting.

We enjoyed our extended family and friends who came to our home afterwards to share lunch together. We had a peaceful feeling in our home.

I feel so grateful for a husband who honors his priesthood and loves me and our children. I feel fortunate to be blessed with five amazing children. I feel appreciative for extended family who make sacrifices for us and who love and support our family. I feel happy.

visitors from St. Louis

2010-03-09T12:34:00.000-08:00

This last weekend was nice in so many ways. My dad and Linda flew into town for a few days and we enjoyed playing checkers, going out to lunch, a spring snow storm, visiting, taking pictures, exploring, and a cousin sleepover. It was nice to share time with all the locals at a barbeque at Sarah and Neil's house.

persuasive essay

2010-03-04T10:03:00.000-08:00

Zachary had an assignment to write a persuasive essay. In his best cursive, this is the letter I received dated 3/2/10:

Dear Mom,

I think you make a lot of decisions and I'm gonna try to help you make another one. I'd like a cell phone with a full keyboard for texting.

The first few reasons that I have for you should be enough. I think you should get me a cell phone because you and dad might be gone and I might be babysitting and the power goes out and Jane falls down the stairs and is bleeding guts. What would I do? Pull out the imaginary cell phone and call 911?

Another reason is because all my grades are as high as they can go besides one B.

From, Zach

pottery demo

2010-02-27T09:44:00.000-08:00

Wednesday afternoon Jeremy took his pottery wheel and supplies to the elementary school and did two pottery demonstrations. The first was for Anna and Griffin's classes and the second was for Zachary's class.

Jeremy demonstrated wheel throwing (Griffin is on the front row on the far left) and hand building. The two hand built projects were vases depicting Anna's teacher's face (complete with a mustache) and Zachary's teacher's face.

I appreciate Jeremy's creativity and his love of teaching.

lucky to have sisters

2010-02-24T17:13:00.000-08:00

Little boy. Two big sisters. Pink doll stroller. Fussy baby. Satin and flower blanket. Green binky. Lullabies. Life is good.

little people

2010-02-22T19:01:00.000-08:00

It's amazing to me than Lincoln is 10 weeks old. And amazing that Zachary and Griffin wore this red shirt and overalls when they were this size.

I just looked up the word "amazing" in Anna's dictionary (that's sitting next to my computer). The definition is: so extraordinary or wonderful as to be barely believable, outstandingly good.

Sigh. Breathe. Smile.

I suppose it is true that when I blink next, I'll be writing a letter to my son on a mission, and my daughter will be applying to colleges far away, and my son will be getting fitted for a tux for prom, and my daughter will be borrowing my car, and my son will be excited about scout camp. I wonder what Jer and I will be doing. We have plans, of course, but I wonder what we'll be doing.

My life is outstandingly good.

how time flies

2010-02-19T15:42:00.000-08:00

Lincoln is 9 weeks old (already!). This week he weighs 12 lb 2 oz and is 22.5 inches long. He has been sleeping well at night (hallelujah!) and is such a sweet, even tempered baby. He likes to be read to (especially by Anna and Griffin) and loves a warm shower.

Arrow of Light

2010-02-11T19:29:00.000-08:00

Zachary was presented with his Arrow of Light award last night at Pack Meeting. We are grateful for diligent cub leaders who helped Zachary to earn this award and we're proud of Zachary for being focused in the program and completing his goal. Thanks to Grandpa Tech for the cool Arrow of Light wood plaque.

Zachary is SO excited to be in 11 year old scouts!

older=wiser

2010-02-05T13:12:00.000-08:00

When Zachary was a newborn and toddler I was conscious of noise while he napped. I didn't have a phone in his bedroom, turned the volume on the tv down low, and had quiet time during nap time for several years.

As we added to our family and quiet time was not a reality I noticed that the baby simply adapted.

I'm happy to say that two nights ago Lincoln slept through an hour and a half of the Jazz player appearance in a junior high gym full of elementary and junior high age children chanting and screaming. This afternoon he slept while I vacuumed the rug right next to his cradle. And in an hour when his siblings thunder in from school, he'll sleep through that, too. :)

As a point of interest, my dad built this cradle special for Lincoln. The cradle that I've used for all of my babies was also made by my dad when baby brother James (who is turning 26 within the week) was due. Baby Zoey (baby sister Sarah's baby who was born the same day as Lincoln) is sleeping in that cradle same as her momma did when she was a newborn.

groundhog day

2010-02-02T13:43:00.000-08:00

I'll admit that I don't really believe in Groundhog Day and, quite honestly, have never celebrated it.

However, this afternoon I found a fascinating website, www.groundhog.org. As it turns out there is an Inner Circle, Gobbler's Knob is a real place, Phil (the groundhog) apparently talks, and you can order groundhog shaped cookie cutters. Who knew?

run-on sentences

2010-01-29T08:46:00.000-08:00

Anna writes notes and cards and messages. She writes them on post-its, stationary, white boards, and scraps of paper. She uses markers, pens, and crayons. She embellishes with stickers, pictures, punches, and fancy scissors. She places them where you'll see them and other times tucks them in your jacket pocket or inside the book you're reading.

When you write a note or message to her, she keeps it in a special place. The other day, she was reading through a stack of notes that I had written to her. Very politely she said, "Mom, a lot of these notes have run-on sentences in them. Maybe you should work on that."

a little break

2010-01-28T10:57:00.000-08:00

Griffin likes to have a little break when he gets home from school before he starts his homework. Usually he has a snack and plays with Jane or runs around outside. Yesterday he just needed a power nap. :)