Brigham City Temple open house

While Andrew was in Canada on business, I decided to head out on another adventure with the kids. This adventure would require excusing Eliza from school twenty minutes early. I don't know why pulling my first grader out of school early conjures up rebel-like emotion, but it does. Don't worry, my crazy Mom feelings dissipated quickly as I had high hopes that our afternoon was going to be well spent.

 

 Last Wednesday, September 12, we toured the Brigham City temple. The day was special, for more reasons than one. And while we wish Daddy could have been with us, (he would have loved seeing how cute Lottie looked in temple footies) I am glad I bit the single parent bullet to make it happen. 

The night before, my friend Melanie stopped by for a quick minute and mentioned that she had plans to take her three girls to the temple the following day. Hearing of the coincidence, we quickly plotted out a scenario that would involve us going together. Going with our special friends definitely enhanced the experience.

There was definitely a healthy amount of people there, but the crowd level wasn't bad in comparison to the reports we'd heard prior. After watching a movie on the temple, we donned white temple footies and entered the temple. Eliza, who was taking this all to heart, was teary-eyed before she stepped out of our car.

It was great to be able to watch their faces as they took in the exquisite detail. Henry liked the wildlife that was featured on the murals in one of the 'instruction rooms.' They were both surprised by the baptismal font and its surrounding oxen. Eliza asked, at one point, why the entire interior wasn't white.

When we entered the Celestial room, I felt the significance of the moment. Of all the lovely things that make that sacred room shine, nothing looked more radiant than the children who stood next to me. And do you know, as incredibly cheesy as that sounds, I think that's the way God intended it. As beautiful as the surroundings are, it's who you are with that counts. I know the building has not been dedicated but the powerful feeling of love I felt there compares evenly to past temple visits.

Since I boarded the train of all things sentiment and cheese a few paragraphs ago, I'm going to give myself permission to share another thought. With our sweet friend Emylie touring the temple in her medical wheelchair, the kids and I would wait for Melanie and Em as they waited for their turn to ride up the elevator. The wait time varied with each stop. After a particularly long stretch the elevator door slid open to reveal Emylie's smiling face. One of her big sisters announced,

"Oh look, there's Emylie!" The reunion, after a five minute long separation, was a happy one. We were ready to continue together. I couldn't help but note the symbolism behind idea that we have loved ones in heaven waiting for us. I imagine that there level of excitement and anticipation at our arrival can't be matched. They are waiting to see our faces again. And then, in time, we will be the ones on the other side; standing with the welcoming committee. Forgive my lack of articulation, but I just think that in the next life the reunions with those we love will be beautiful. 

Lottie, oh what a good girl Lottie was. I almost... Oh wait. Hang on. Yes. There it is:

Welcome back feelings of guilt! I almost left Lottie with a babysitter. I am really glad I didn't. Sure, having her there was extra work, but she brings extra joy too. Lucky for Mom, she was well behaved. Hearing her say, "Wow" and hearing her ask, "What's that?" repeatedly, made me smile.

 "See Me-Ma? I can be so reverent!"

It's true. She calls me 'Me-Ma'. It's sounds kind of Southern to me. 

 It wasn't all cute accents and folded arms though. She was worn out by the end.

When I asked Henry what his favorite part was, he said it was the fountain out front. As exquisite as the interior of temple was, it's hard to compete with a neat water feature. I totally get it. With Lottie's small child needs and Eliza's desire to create a real moment, Henry is generally content to walk a few steps back. He's a low key guy, most of the time; which is why when I get a few minutes to hold his hand and am able to whisper something special in his ear, I feel pretty lucky. 

Thanks Parker family for a great outing.

A Fair-y Fun Night

Dear Andrew,

Stepping out of the car last night, I felt myself hesitate. Was leaving the stroller and umbrella at home the right decision? The rain had begun to fall as we drove to the elementary school for the much anticipated family fun fair. Swallowing my self doubt, I unbuckled Lottie from her car seat and watched as she happily joined Eliza and Henry on the sidewalk. 

 Their enthusiasm was the antidote my cautious mood needed. Who cares if we get wet. We were going to roll with it. How is that for a solid dose of sunshine?

 "Rain clouds? Meh."

Future self take note: bring the stroller. Whether or not it's occupied with a child, it's a great way to stash the goodies that are thus accumulated.

Returning to my letter format, you won't be surprised to know, dear Andrew, that our first stop was to the crazy hair station. There was music. The kids jammed.

 Finally it was their turn. Lottie and I waited in the wings.

 Henry's {awesome} reveal came first.

 

 Eliza's hair-do was more elaborate.

 

Face painting came next. 

Henry was super hesitant. He shot down each suggestion and seemed content to sit back and observe. However, as soon as I said the words, "Spiderman web" he lit up! Eliza wanted a mustache. I talked her out of it... which looking back, was a mistake. If she wants a mustache, LET THE GIRL GET A MUSTACHE. Her rainbow was still fun though.

Finally, it was time to hit the cafeteria. Yay dinner yay. You'll be happy to know that in the sea of chaos and confusion, we landed a spot next to some of our favorite people. It was nice to take a time out and chat with Kim and a friend she introduced me too. With the bounce houses nearby, the older two kids excused themselves after they were through eating their cookies and ignoring their hot dogs. Ha ha ha... They actually did pretty good. 

The cafeteria proved a dangerous place. Who knew, right? In line for the bounce house, Eliza was kicked in the face. I did not witness it happen and the story doesn't quite make sense based on Eliza's claims. She was in line and a boy kicked her. No, she says, it didn't happen in the bounce house. So yes, Eliza was karate chopped in line and ended up with this little shiner. 

The good thing is, she is tough. She didn't come crying to me. I doubt she would have mentioned it if I hadn't noticed her abrasion. Kim and/or Melanie can attest that it looked nastier in real life. I would hate for someone to call me out for over-exaggerating. Me? Never! ;) 

SO THEN, while I was chatting with these nice ladies, Lottie took this EPIC SPILL and landed, MOUTH WIDE OPEN on the CoRnEr of the table. GASP GASP GASP. There were INSANE tears and BLOOD. ANDREW, seriously, her poor lip had been cut open! And it made her cry. REAL HARD. 

....until I gave her a binkie and a blankie and she like instantly got over it.

So, like I said, the cafeteria was kind of scary. But the food was good. Because I know you were wondering. 

We returned outside for games and cotton candy. 

Did you know that Eliza has mad hula hooping skills? Again, ask Kim. It was hilarious and awesome... probably my favorite thing that night.

The night ended with a visit to the Petting Zoo. Consider yourself  'green lit.' You are hereby allowed to buy the kids that bunny you're always talking about. Lottie's reaction to the bunnies filled me with a ridiculous amount of warm fuzzies. 

 Passing by the country map, Lottie proudly claimed her Carolina heritage. We love you, South Carolina!

 And there you have it love. The whole story. We missed you. Do me a favor take a ridiculous amount of pictures when you have downtime... not of machinery and all that good engineering stuff, but of the scenery, etc.

Love,
Alison Ann

P.S. Look at how much they've grown.

I will call her, 'MINI ME'

Never did I think an Austin Power's quote would make it onto my blog. However, if you knew me as a child, you will understand.

Unlike Henry, Eliza's eyes do not cross. She failed an eye exam at her well child check up. If you had asked me a week ago, I would have told you that she sees well up close, but struggles with distance. However, after reading her prescription yesterday, it seems like she is in fact far sighted like Henry and me. 

With age, my vision achieved 20/20 status. Who would have thought that possible? Anyway... I am confused as to what is going on with her vision, but based on her beautiful reaction when she put them on yesterday, she now can see better. Watching both kids put their glasses on for the first time tugged at my heart strings. Who would have thought that the reception area of a Standard Optical could be such a special place?! Ha. 

At her age, Eliza doesn't associate any negative feelings or perceptions to having glasses. She thinks they're cool, enjoys staring at her "new" self in the mirror and is eager to show her friends. She complains of discomfort where her glasses rest behind her ears. With Henry it lasted a few days. Hopefully, those complaints will disappear just as quickly.  

The doctor did say that after her next check up, he will most likely say that she will wear her glasses on an 'as needed' basis. 

Any takers on how long until Lottie joins the club?!?

Henry's first day of preschool!

Henry was excited to head back to school last Friday.

 He's ready to stretch those muscles in his brain (and arms!).

 But first, the members of his fan club need a goodbye hug.

 What a handsome preschooler.

 The smile on little sister's face didn't last long. In fact, when I dropped him off today for school, Lottie wailed, "No Henry!"

It wasn't long until her cry of, "No Henry" changed to, "More, Henry!" She doesn't want him to leave. She wants more Henry. I don't blame her. 

September tides

This Mom has a case of the back to school blues. The excitement and energy of beginning a fresh new chapter has simmered. The void of Eliza's absence can't be ignored despite our efforts at keeping busy. I miss her.

Wanting to rebel against our new normal, I made a concerted effort to avoid distractions with the extra hours we were given yesterday. Wednesday is early day at Eliza's school; kind of odd... but I'm learning to appreciate a break in the middle of the week. Heading to the park, I purposely left my book at home. Skipping the shaded bench, I jumped in the sandbox with the kids. When the kids asked to be pushed on the swing, we went. I didn't try to dissuade their request. Yes, I'm guilty of this.

"Freeze this moment." I mentally instruct my brain as I watched the three of them create side by side (by side.). I am sure that if my kids had been paying as close attention to me as I was to them, my staring gaze would have concerned them.

"Our Mom is a creeper!" I can hear it now. Anyway. The magic of the moment was short lived. Lottie, with a clear desire to annoy, demolishes Eliza's sand creation as Henry attracts a descent sized sliver in his finger. The squabbles and the interruptions actually settled me.

"You see, Ali. Your happy chaos hasn't abandoned you yet."  

The positives of school beginning includes the return of structure. I am enjoying my one on one time with Lottie and find satisfaction as I raid Eliza's backpack when she returns home. Eliza is a good sport. She is patient with me as we talk through her day. I'm learning to cope with the sad reports ("I was hit in the face at recess by a ball by a huge third grade boy!") but am appreciative she's willing to share the good and the bad.

Henry doesn't start school until tomorrow. And while I'm going to miss my buddy, I am really happy for him. Two and a half hours, three days a week doesn't overwhelm me. With Eliza blazing the trail ahead of her siblings, it's nice for Henry to be able to take ownership of his own school experience. And while I understand all the benefits and reasons for the change in atmosphere, Lottie does not.

 

 

Just now, after retrieving Lottie from her nap, she asked,

"Where's Henry? Where?" She uses the word, "Where" often. However, she pronounces it, "Way?" It's cute.

"Where's Daddy?" I'll ask. Putting her own hands in the air, she responds, "Way?" Another favorite,

"Who dat? pause. "Who?"

Henry's social life is hopping. When a friend knocks at the door and invites him over to play, Lottie thinks she gets to go too. And guess who gets to break the devastating news to her that she isn't?! Yesterday when we went to Henry's preschool open house, Lottie was thrilled to be included. Accepting an offer from a friend to keep Henry there with her son a bit longer when I got up to leave, Lottie wailed. Her protest was loud and active.

 

 

"Preschool rocks!"

 

"It will soon be your turn Lottie." The truthfulness of that statement hit me hard. My baby flew into toddler hood. And In a blink, I'll be buckling her up for her first day of preschool. Until then, it will be my job to tell her that being in the same boat with Mom all day is a great thing. In a matter of figuratively speaking minutes, she'll be bailing from my boat to theirs.

Labor day weekend

Labor day weekend involved a final swim at the Farmington pool, yard work, cheering on Andrew as he cleaned out his man cave, dinner at Nana Marie's and dinner at our place...  not exactly in that order.

 Is it possible to have too many cousins? I submit that it is not. In our family, the boys are a little outnumbered!

 They don't seem to mind too much. As for getting stuck in the toy bucket... well, that's no fun at all.

 

The use of our fire pit has been placed on hold as a precaution. It's dry in our area and it may or may not be illegal at this time. That didn't stop us from making smores. Thanks Papa and Nana!

Lottie was especially appreciative. 

 

 When someone looks as cute as she does while eating smores, the process of elimination in selecting photos for the blog fails.

 Good grief Lottie. I can't stand how cute you are. Speaking of cute, what a darling batch of adults. Yes?!?

 The adults engaged in some serious rounds of ladder ball while the children played. It was a fun night. Finally, a blog about people coming to our home would be incomplete without thanking them all for making the drive up!

Mantua Reservoir

Every now and then, Andrew will spend his weekend 'at the office.' Is it just me or does that make us sound old and bland? Don't answer that. As disappointing as this sounds, he is able to compensate the time away by taking a day off during the work week; such was the case at the end of August.

Having a break between Eliza's Chinese summer camp and the official start of school, we opted for a Tuesday. With fishing on his brain, Andrew led the way to Mantua Reservoir.

We soon discovered that boating on a Tuesday certainly has its benefits.

 The beach was theirs for the taking! Despite being short on sand toys, the children were happily occupied for hours. With childhood creativity on their side, it didn't take long until they were lost in their own world of sand castles and water systems.

Speaking of creativity, it's no secret that this is not my strong suit. This is why I'd like to take a moment to gloat as I creatively 'made due' that day when necessary. You see, Lottie's Mom neglected to bring baby wipes. It's kind of ironic (and disappointingly enough, typical) that I'd forget something so essential when I'm so prepared in other ways: hand lotion (I am o.c.d. - that one matters!), coordinating beach towels, dry clothes, an arsenal of symptom relievers in case someone came down with a sudden case of the flu, etc...

Realizing my mistake early on, I futilely crossed my fingers that Lottie wouldn't soil her diaper. Guess what? She went twice. Of course. The manner in which I handled those situations with the limited resources I had was nothing short of impressive. You will be spared the details. Our misadventure in wipe-less diaper changing proved to be the biggest hiccup of our day. Translation: The day was wonderfully spent.

With the shade tent up, camping chairs set and our picnic lunch distributed, we were set.

 

 The kids took turns boating with Dad, Lottie included.

 

There's the tube that neither of them wanted to be pulled on behind the boat. You win some, you lose some... and then you WIN some! 

The fishing was stellar. 

  

 

 

 The kids brought back a bucket of ten fish. They, Andrew included, took their time telling me about each one before releasing them back into the water.

Andrew, thank you for transforming a mundane Tuesday into a memorable one. We had a great day.