Alphabet Party

So, my children came up from playing one day this week, and said that they wanted to have an alphabet party. Sure, I said. It turned out to be a real party. Before I knew it, Rachel and Katie were making alphabet signs, asking me to help with balloons and streamers. Rachel's art camp had given her some construction paper, with pastel crayons, and some fun artsy things. She used most of it on the party, but we had a good time. After the house was all decorated, Rachel, Katie, and Sarah brought us all down to the living room and had a formal party. Rachel was the conductor, so she welcomed us and informed us of the agenda they had planned. Katie was the activity conductor, and she had several games for us to play (Red rover, Duck duck goose, freeze tag, and dancing). Then Sarah was the treat conductor, and she led us upstairs for orange julius and cake.

Rachel had drawn out what the cake should look like, and I did my best. They were all very happy and told me I was a "fantastic mom". I am not a perfect mom, or perfect person. I know my weaknesses and imperfections better than anybody, but after we had the day's activities, and I was exhausted, David and I looked at our happy, creative, and fun children, and thought, maybe that day, we had done something right.

Art Scholarship

Rachel received an art and music camp scholarship from SUU because she showed "outstanding potential in art". She has been very excited to attend. It was held each weekday, for three hours, for the past two weeks. Our kind neighbor was taking her grandchild and offered to drive Rachel to and from Cedar City each day.

They held a performance the last day of camp. Rachel sang songs and then there was an art exhibit. A woman working for the University says Rachel is very talented and our neighbor has insisted Rachel draw her a few pictures so that when Rachel is famous, she can make a lot of money off the pictures. These are some of the pictures and painting she did.

The above picture is of the Zollinger Reunion at Bear Lake. She's got Grandpa driving the boat and aunts, uncles and cousins, riding the tube, swimming and playing at the beach. I thought it was excellent.

This picture is at Grandpa and Grandma Zollinger's house. She has Grandpa in the house waving, then our family playing on the swing set, and Grandma is outside playing with us. There is also a parachute in the sky because Grandpa and Grandma's house is by a popular glider spot.

This is Rachel and a life-size painting of Me! She did a great job on it, and I have decided to carry it around and shove it into pictures whenever I'm supposed to be in one.

Rachel is on the far right, second one in. She is singing with the other art and music kids.

Rachel loves art. She has been fun the past two weeks to come home and guide us through what she has learned. They have had some watercolor projects and sketching that have been really fun to watch her get excited about. She wants to do it again next year....but we might have to hope for that $100 scholarship again. I am flattered that everyone (including myself) thinks she is very talented. I just hope she continues to enjoy it, can learn to draw well, and fill up all my empty walls with her beautiful work!

Father's Day

I don't usually do much for Father's Day. David is usually satisfied with cards and great food (aka: my cooking). But here are some things that make David a great Father, Husband and Man. This is the back of the house. David loves lilacs. He planted them right next to the house so we would be able to smell them when they bloom.
These are the five wonderful children that have made David the father he is. David is always concerned how they are doing. He loves to play and talk with them. I love hearing "Daddy!" every single time he comes home from work. They all give him a hug, and it is one of the best parts of our day. Rachel, Katie, Sarah, Nathan, and Rebekah. They love their dad!

This is the front lawn. We have planted two flowering trees and some bushes. The grass is green and growing in full. David put in a sprinkling system last year, and it is marvelous. He just pushes a few buttons, and the lawn, flowers, trees, bushes, garden, berries, and orchard are watered while we sleep. David has made it very easy for us to have a beautiful and healthy yard.

David is kind of a Jack-of-all-trades. I didn't know I had married a brick layer. But he put this brick wall around the front and back bushes around the house. It looks so nice, and he made it with some brick that was laying around the house when we got here.

This is the side front lawn. David planted four maple trees around the fence line, along with some bushes. He tore out a lot of old trash trees that were ruining the lawn and our home when we got to this house. Now, we are trying to bring back the shade, we are excited to be planting instead of destroying trees.

David and Nathan. I love watching Nathan follow David around the yard. He'll hammer and try the screw drivers. David built a play house for the kids by the play area. Nathan and Sarah followed him throughout the whole project, and it is turning out great.

The play house. We are having a dilemma on what color to paint it, but this is what is looks like so far. David has done a great job. The girls keep thanking him for making a house for them. They have already put table, chairs, and kitchen stuff out there. We are excited to make it a fun place to play. Oh- those rocks by the play area, surround 6 blueberry bushes David wanted to plant. Behind the shed is a boysenberry bush. David and I have talked about having an "edible landscape". It has been fun to see what we can get growing here.

A grape arbor. We have three green grape vines on the left side, and three red grape vines growing on the right. The grapes will wrap around the poles and then wind themselves all over the top. I should mention that the wood used for the arbor and the play house are from all over Idaho and Utah. He has wanted to use this wood for years...like 10 years. I love that he just can't let things go to waste.

The raspberry patch in the back yard. When we lived in Logan, we lived in my Aunt Marianna's basement, and she had a great raspberry patch in the back yard. Since then, we decided that raspberries are a must-have. There are currant bushes in front of the raspberries. David hasn't let much our property be unfruitful.

This is a large shot of the backyard. You can see the orchard on your right. We have 4 apple trees, 3 peach trees, 1 plum, and 1 cherry. Then the orchard has blackberry plants lining the fence. On the outside of the fence, David made boxes for strawberry plants. I've been worried that we would have fruit coming out of our ears, but David says, that is the idea.

I love David. He continually makes me feel that I am wonderful. He has made this yard into something our family can work together on. We raise our children together, and I just couldn't ask for a more supportive, or loving husband. Thank you David, for all you are! Happy Father's Day!

Batter Up!

We got Rachel and Katie signed up for baseball this year. Rachel was on a machine pitch team and Katie was on a tee-ball team. They loved it.

I was surprised that Rachel was able to hit the ball coming out of the pitch machine. She did incredible! We practiced at home, but she did really well when it came to hitting the ball.

This was her position throughout the entire season. Her cap hiding her face, and just posed to catch something. She was cute, and we tried to encourage her to run after the balls if they were hit her way.


Katie was quite the fielder. She has an arm to kill, and could not only throw, but aim those balls. They put her all over the infield and outfield.

I loved watching Katie play ball. She enjoyed being out there and had a lot of fun.

All in all, it was a fun season!

Bekah

We got some pictures of the kids going to ball games, and the girls found a ball cap for Nathan and Bekah. We are all in love with this baby!





David is usually the most popular one in our house. Everyone wants to tackle him when he gets home from work, and sit by him at dinner. But he's got some competition with Bekah. She smiles and laughs, and makes us all so happy. Thanks heaven for babies, and for our Bekah!

Dancing...again.

My previous blog, last year, put out my questions and frustrations about putting my own children in dance. David and I made the decision to put Rachel and Katie into a Jazz/Ballet dance class this last year.

The dance teachers were excellent. They chose wonderful music, and when ordering costumes, let me preview the costumes before I purchased them. We needed to adjust Rachel's costume, but it also turned out good and modest.

Rachel and Katie loved it. I was impressed how graceful and on time Rachel was with each of her songs and dance moves. The teachers commented on how talented Katie is in dancing. I watched her practices whenever I could, and I could tell a difference in Katie. She is very good.

BUT.

I am not a dance mom. There are quite a few performances and competitions where the girls had to have their hair done a certain way, and I had to put makeup on my children. Of course I enjoyed watching them dance, and it was good practice being up in front of people without being afraid. But, after each performance, David and I agreed that if we can persuade them in another direction, we will.

Here is the reason. Throughout the year, the young classes are often mixed with the drill team and other dance groups. I felt sorry for these girls. The other dance groups had children dancing in the outfits I was worried about, with music I did not condone, and moving their bodies in a way that made me sick.

My girls love to dance, and the instruction they were given was really wonderful, and as long as they are with this dance group, I trust their teaching and morals. But where will it lead? The only opportunities I see for future dancers is in the high school drill teams, and I don't want my children dancing like that.

Here are some cute pictures of the dancers and dance teams I was so proud of.

Rachel's Dance Class

Katie and Rachel were very excited about the GOLD MEDALS they received for their dances.


The is the Sunshine Dance school. They were the only group that received SUPERIOR ratings on each of their dances.

Katie's Dance Class

Family Home Evening

Family Home Evening is our biggest event of the week. Our children love this time. They know we will be all together, no matter what. David and I make it a priority not to schedule anything on Monday night...at all. On my Monday "To Do" list, the only thing besides the usual dinner fixing and straightening the house is FHE. This is our new FHE chart. There are so many cute FHE assignment charts that are wood painted and have everyone's name on them, but until I know EXACTLY how many will be in our family, we will make our own. The kids have been after me to make a new one since Rebekah entered our family, and I have to admit...this one was awesome. We got the old Friend magazines out and I let the kids cut out anything they thought we might want on our chart. This is the result.

Everyone has an assignment in our family. Each week, these are the assignments: Conduct, Talent, Lesson, Treat, Scripture, Music, and Activity. The Scripture is a new one, and the kids are excited to have it. Of course, everyone usually gets a little help from mom or dad, but they love being part of our special night.

Bunny Buns. Rachel is reading the Friend magazine, and she insisted we try these for our treat. It was a huge hit. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true. I have a testimony of this gospel, and I love the commandment of Family Home Evening. It is bringing our family close, building the most valuable memories, and bringing the happiness to our family life that comes from the teachings of Jesus Christ.