So, what else is new?

This week our little family is spread out across 4 states!  Crazy!  Tyler and Alayna flew out to Arizona and then drove with Gma & Gpa Hart to California.  Tyler is at Chris & Wendys for a few nights while Alayna went up to Santa Barbara to get the rest of the girls for Teen Week.  A special thanks to MJ for hosting them one night, from the grandparents for braving all those girls, and the harts for taking on Tyler!

Finally started working at Wal-Mart! I think this will be really good for him.

Marisa also got a job so you can contact her if you want more info.

Bob and I are LOVING being empty-nesters for the week.  We are knocking out home projects right and left and going on some fun dates.  This Saturday was lunch and a date to see the BYU ballroom dance team!  On Tuesday we are doing dinner and going to see the new Terminator. 

Here is a picture of our new wall- each kids baptism pics along with family pics in front of the temples.

It was so fun to have the ballroom dance team in town!

 

They even did an incredible “gaming” number with black light!!

Here are a few pictures of Kayla.  She had a fun camping weekend with her ward and they got to go to the hot springs:

 

She and her roommates also traveled down to Utah this week.  Thanks to Jonathan and Diana for taking her out to eat and visiting with her.  I appreciate it!

Igniting the love of reading from within

So, I had the wonderful experience to attend the State Iowa Reading Association Conference in Ames, where I was also asked to be a presenter.  I cannot even begin to tell you how much I learned.  We had nationally known speakers flown in from California, New York, Minnesota, etc.  I took notes like a crazy person and it was so wonderful to be surrounded by thousands of people who feel the same way about reading that I do!

My presentation went great!  I was shaking like a leaf though!  Once I got up there, I did awesome (I know that presentation like the back of my hand).  I ended up wearing my superwoman shirt with a skirt and heels!  Nothing says heroic bravery like wearing that in front of professional colleagues!

I had 2 famous authors/presenters stay and listen to my presentation: Mary Bigler and Jennifer Saravallo (you can google them to see more about them.  A lady came up and told me Jennifer was tweeting everything I said, and sure enough when I looked on twitter I had 20 new followers and was tagged in tons of tweets!!!  How awesome is that?!  Then, Mary, who is literally going on to her 51st year of teaching, came up and talked to me and said she loved my presentation and that I have the same reading philosophy as her!  I almost passed out.  Then, she asked to use my computer for her presentation and talked to me for  a while!

I even got to attend an amazing session by author, Delia Ray and only 10 people attended.  I was shocked, but that gave me time to meet her and speak to her.

We got to hear from an actual National Geographic explorer and the crazy new things she is working on to help steer girls into the sciences by breaking stereotypes.  So cool!!!

Inflatable 5K

Jurassic World and Projects

Well, our summer is busy busy busy!  I keep hoping for some relaxation.  Maybe that comes after the big presentation this week?

We did go see Jurassic world and LOVED it!!!  We took Alayna and her friend Megan to dinner at Zoe’s and then a fun night at the movies!

Alayna started tennis camp and is really enjoying it! 

Tyler got a job at Wal-Mart and starts his training tomorrow. 

We continue to work on the house  a ton.  It is looking amazing but it sure has been a lot of work!

Started the computer room- got rid of all 3 desks- cant wait to show you the final when we finish.

Finished Alaynas bathroom

Finally got Tylers hair cut just in time for senior pics

I leave tomorrow for the big reading conference in Ames.  I am extremely nervous, plus I havent really traveled by myself since we got married.  I hope all goes well and I don’t die during the presentation.  The kids fly out to Arizona and head to Santa Barbara this week with the Harts who just got back from Peru.  AND a special Happy Fathers day to all you wonderful dads!

Insane Inflatable 5k!

Tyler Senior Pics

Never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly…

…and Tyler’s was working overtime and has probably asked for a change of assignment by now.

Tyler had just finished his show choir auditions and was heading to pick up his friends for the tailgate party.  His light turned green and he was heading left and assumed the driver across from him was as well, but he was going straight forward and slammed into Tyler. HARD.  Tyler said it felt like a slow-mo dream.  Like his brain couldn’t quite comprehend what was happening.  Both the driver of the other car and the two witnesses said Tyler was hit really hard!  They were all so kind and very worried about him!  The airbags deployed which slammed him in the chest and knocked the air out of him.  Thank the heavens above he had his seatbelt on!  Glass shattered everywhere and he miraculously got our with a only a few cuts from glass on his hand.  Everyone at the scene couldn’t believe that someone walked away from it.  Hence, the guardian angels…

The other drive also walked away fine.  When we finally got there, Tyler was being taken into an ambulance- after seeing that and the car, my mommy heart started panicking big time.  They said he was fine, checked his vitals, and bandaged his hand.  He looked…stunned.  Like he just couldn’t believe this had happened…again.  We were there for about 1 1/2 hours filling out paper work and getting the cars towed.  Tyler was really shaken.  So much so that he didn’t sleep all night.  BUT he did make 10th street again which was exciting!  We have been watching him carefully today and monitoring any signs starting to show.  He does have a  headache and chest a little sore.  But overall, I think the main damage was the mental trauma…I know he was grateful his sister and friends were NOT in the car at the time.

We took today slow, full of relaxing and spending time together.  Its always amazing to me how its these instances and experiences that make us take a look at our priorities, where our time is being spent, and what really matters.

I was in the walkin clinic yesterday as well.  My health has been declining for weeks now.  I know a lot of it is all the stress (the accident didn’t help).  Its time to slow down and focus on me, my health, and our family.

So, what else is going on?

Lots of concerts the last couple weeks of school.  Plus, Alayna was accepted to do Myfi which helps do orientations for incoming 6th graders.  She is pretty excited about that.  She loves tennis and wants to keep doing that.  She will do show choir another year and then isnt sure about if she will continue. 

As I said above, Tyler made 10th street again and was very excited to earn the position of section leader for the trombones in marching band.  Now he also hopes to make a lead in the musical.  He is also (forcibly) going to find a job very soon.

The girls are doing well.  Maybe they can write quick updates that I can include each week? hint hint?

We have been working hard on our home (as if we don’t have enough to do).  Last week we cleaned out (with a hose and everything) the entire garage.  It is organized and beautiful!

Bob has been a beast working in the kitchen.  Here is what our living room has looked like since the girls were here (a working area)

Here’s the only before pic I could find

Heres the after

I gathered hundreds of books this year from donations, weeding, etc.  Then I put them on my table for free and the kids went nuts.  I wanted to make sure every single student walked out that door for summer with a book to read and they did!!

Today we are making homemade frostys and enjoying our favorite show “Community”.  Here’s to a better week!  And may nothing else to my explosively high blood pressure!