little boys

This week has been all about these two. On Monday Adam was 6 months old. (I can't believe he's 6 months already!) He enjoyed playing outside while I weeded flower beds.

Wednesday we went to the library for story time and played in the bubbles. They had many other activities but Carson loved the bubbles. The bubbles, in the picture below, are his bubbles. He was doing a great job!

Today, these two were playing together...OK, maybe Adam was watching Carson. Still, they were getting along in the same room without me. Another milestone!

Tonight, both Karlee and Bailee have birthday parties to go to, so our babysitters are busy. Mason has a birthday party tomorrow. Luckily Stake Conference is this weekend. We'll be able to have a date before the adult session. Some weekends it's a challenge to find the time, or the sitter, for a date. Although, we often succeed.

fun fun weekend

Brian needed to go to San Antonio Friday to perform a wedding. He invited me!! I talked to Kinzie and Bailee and they agreed to take care of the home front. :0) It's nice to have older kids, most of the time.

The wedding was Friday afternoon, very nice. We went to an early dinner with the family, yummy food. Then Brian and I went downtown to "Fiesta". I think it's a week long party of food, drinking, and live music. Not necessary in that order I'm sure ;). Unfortunately we just ate so we couldn't fully enjoy the party. I was so full it didn't even smell good to me...but it still looked super yummy!

Do you see the blue folding chairs? There were stacks and stacks of them along the curbs. There was a parade earlier and the city provides chairs!! I have never heard of such a thing. But it's true.

This morning we went to the Temple. Such a beautiful Temple. My favorite is all the stained glass. I think every window is stained glass. Plus the mural...with bluebonnets! I loved it all!

For lunch we met up with some friends we have known for 12+ years, Bob and Sandy. We haven't kept in contact since we moved from Colorado. A few months ago our friend, Maranda, had found her future husband, Chris. What a shock it was to all of us that his parents were our friends. Yay!!

We had such a fun lunch laughing and catching up. They are great people. I hope Maranda knows she has some great in-laws! With us being only a few hours away, I hope we can keep in touch.

funeral

Wednesday night before the funeral I did Mom's hair and nails. I wasn't sure I could do it. I had done a woman's hair for her funeral over 12 years ago, I didn't know her very well and it was very emotional. Two of my sisters, Brenda and Terri, came with me.

It wasn't as difficult as I had imagined. My mind was set on the task at hand. When is came time to go then it became hard. I didn't want to leave her...

After the viewing Thursday night, I sat next to my brother Todd and we watched a slide show that my BIL Dave put together for my parents 50th wedding anniversary. At first it was difficult to watch. Before long everyone else had sat down to watch.

The service was very nice. My brother Blake did the life sketch. He did a great job. That was the one thing I didn't want to do. I knew I wouldn't be able to hold myself together.

After the dedication of the grave, many of us took some flowers. Terri took an entire arrangement!! I gave her a hard time, of course, but they would die soon anyway. She has a friend that she works with that is going to dry them and display them in a window box for her.

Brothers from L to R: Blake, Todd, Randall, and Richard.

Sisters from L to R: Aarin, Brenda, Terri, Jeannette, (me), Waynette and Dad in front.

I took a few family pictures, but this one I had to share. Richard is definitely the weird one of our family. Look what he's taught his kids! They look like a bunch of monkeys!! And they don't care!!!

I totally spaced it and wasn't able to get a picture of Mom's siblings. I got a few snapshots of all but Aunt Chris. I think Dad is going to send me one. This is Dad with his siblings.

L to R: Paul, Lathel, Dad (Coleman), Sana Rae, and JC

change

We have had more changes around here. Brian had received some information that his job responsibilities would be changing way back in February, he started holding his breath. About mid March it all fell together. His old boss is now directly over him (yea!! for Robert). The former CEO, who had retired, is back trying to get the company back in shape. If anybody can do it, it is him. John is an amazing man, both in business and personally. Once those two men were back in their former rolls, Brian's outlook on his job totally flipped. He is enjoying his job again. It's still extremely stressful, but better. Another change...he has an office...not at home! I love Brian very much. I love spending time with him. I struggled with him having an office in our home. Conference calls were a pain. Trying to use the computer when he was working was next to impossible. I looked forward to him coming home from work. He didn't come home very often. He just kept working...

The other big change around here is our dog Peanut. The first of March Brian and I decided that we needed to find Peanut a new home. With Adam spending so much time here and needing to be on the floor to learn to roll over and crawl, I didn't feel it was a safe place with a large puppy to learn those things.

We found him a home about mid March with some friends that just bought a house with over 2 acres completely fenced. What could be more perfect?! We tried one Saturday to go out and visit and drop off the rest of his toys. It didn't work. I hope we can still make it out. I'm sure all the kids want to see his new home.

We have had people ask if we miss having a dog. The first week it was strange not having him greet us when we got home. But that's about it. In the picture you can see that Cali kept her distance from Peanut. She loves having her house back. With the stress of this last month with surgery and the quick trip to Idaho, I'm glad we didn't need to worry about a dog too. Brian and I still walk at night. We have loved getting out and being able to complain and worry and try to fix life without little ears listening in. The kids, mostly the boys, have asked if we can get another dog? A smaller dog? Maybe someday. Dogs are just soo much work. My mom would joke that it took her a long time to realize that puppies and babies grow up to be dogs and kids. She also said, eventually the kids learn to let themselves out. :0)

research project

Mason finished his research project for his PACE class weeks ago, I keep forgetting to blog about it. He chose lions, one of is favorite animals. With Mason being in the PACE program this was the project that most scared me. He is not, usually, self motivated. This is the first year that they did all the work during class, except the product. Yea for us!!! He loved typing his report on the computer and making his diorama. We already had everything we needed for the diorama...talk about easy. Way to go Mason!!

elementary

Mason's school, and us, have had a busy week. On Thursday night the second grade performed a musical. It was very cute.

I think Mason had the most fun watching the performers in front.

Then Saturday was the school carnival. It was a Luau theme in case you couldn't tell :0). The cake walk is always a big hit. We did it over and over and over and still didn't win a cake. The kids were quite disappointed.

The bounce house was another hit with my boys. That's what they did over and over to use up the rest of our tickets so we could go home.

first swim

These two girls asked if they could check the temperature of the pool. They got their feet wet, then went and put swimsuits on. The pool was about 72, warmer than usual for our first swim.

The boys were playing in the front yard and heard some noise in the back yard.

Before long, we had a pool full of friends. This is Nicole and Isabella from across the street.

Grace is in the back of the picture above. Then her brother Colton in the picture below. This is the first time Colton has come over to swim. Usually it's just girls :0).

heaven

Mom's Aunt Sharon gave this to Dad the day of the funeral. It has become my new favorite saying.

I wish we had heard of this years ago. Brian's older brother, Kim, was killed in a motorcycle accident almost 18 years ago.

I guess we've had "a little heaven in our home" for sometime now.

Mom...

Mom passed away on April 3. I haven't wanted to blog about it. To be honest...I don't really want to talk about it. Whenever I do, I cry. Sometimes just a few tears, other times I sob.

She was born on February 8, 1941. So no, she wasn't very old at all. She was fourth of six children. She had 11 children, I was number 8. 40 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

I've mentioned before of the things she taught me. But the two most memorable is that she always made her bed everyday and never allowed anyone to sit on her bed once it was made. NEVER! The other one is if I ever needed a reason not to do something or go somewhere, I could blame it on my mom. She always said that's what mom's are for. When there were times I didn't want to go with a friend, I would blame it on my mom that I couldn't go. She was great!

I've been in Idaho most of this week and I'll be heading home Monday. I went to church with Dad today. WOW, that was hard. Last night while I was trying to fall asleep, I realized that I wouldn't have Mom to sit by in Relief Society. Then I realized that I was glad I stayed through Sunday so Dad would have somebody to sit with during the rest of the meetings. He did better than me. When ever someone made a comment about Mom, I cried. During Relief Society I almost started sobbing. A dear friend of the family, June Pettichord, sat by my side and gave me many hugs.

Saturday all the girls went through most of Mom's clothes. It really wasn't difficult. Most of the clothes brought back great memories. Mom had great taste in clothes. Dad was amazed, and wondered out loud at the cost of all her clothes. She enjoyed shopping. Over the years Mom has lost weight and then gained it back, as many women do. She kept everything. Because of that there was something for everyone. We were all able to take something home and will be able to wear it.

I'm going to miss chatting with her, asking about a recipe, advice about kids...or just hearing her voice.

Happy Easter!!

I found these cool paint filled Q-tips with the egg coloring kits. They were great to add more color to our eggs. Very easy for Carson to use too.

Off to find more eggs...hurry!!

Only Bailee was tall enough to reach the egg off the entertainment center.

Brian makes deviled eggs every year. He started shortly after the egg hunt. We have been enjoying them all day. We have had a great day listening to conference on TV, having a nap between sessions and snacking on chocolate. It's been great hanging out as a family.

surgery

Bailee had her surgery on Thursday. Everything went well. Her Dr thought he would need to put in only one metal plate. He ended up putting in four. Evidently the bone was broken worse than he thought. She has stitches underneath her left eyelid, two different areas on her eyelid and a set of stitches in her mouth. She has a stint in each nostril and a bandage/brace on her nose. She's not ready to share any after pictures so we only get to see the before.

She came home Friday around 8. It was a long couple of days. It was a challenge finding the right meds for her but I think we have it figured out. This afternoon she has finally started acting like herself. She is still in pain, but trying to make light of the situation.

We use to think she was a wimp, we were wrong. Bailee, you are soo brave. WE love you!!