June 2011 update

Slowly but surely I am publishing the life and times of the Singing Librarian. Here is the June 2011 update:

June sped by with lots of work. While one of my bosses went to Germany, another went to Spain. Keeping track of people in foreign countries (that are 7-9 hours ahead of us) can be difficult. Luckily, my bosses are pretty good about not calling me when it is morning for them and very late/early for me.) I was able to go to a children's book fair on June 4^th with Jen, John, Lauren, and Emily. Emily was a little shy around the book characters but both girls were able to get free books and play games. Lauren especially liked the blow up slide. We ended the afternoon at an ice cream parlor, which is always a good way to end a visit with Aunt Jess.

On June 11^th the family went to Lagoon. We went for Dad’s company summer party and were able to celebrate the birthdays of Lauren and Isaac. I made sure to take something to stop the nausea of riding on rides. Sid and Wyatt were unable to make it so I rode a lot with Isaac and Lauren. It was a lot of fun and it seems strange that Dad will be retiring soon (as we have been going to his annual work party for as long as I can remember.) Dad managed to get a picture of Emily and I on the Merry-go-round.

On June 25^th a friend (Rob) and I went up to Salt Lake to see Ira Glass, host of This American Life. He talked about radio and the impact it can have on us as well as how the radio program is produced. After wards, we (along with my parents, Jordan, Alison, Clara, and Aunt Renee ended up at The Bakery for dessert. The conversation and food were excellent.

A 3-year-old's perspective

My sister-in-law Alison has been doing a post a day for the past week. It has been interesting to read about her perspective when dealing with a three and a half year old and an almost two year old. They are darling boys and they have a different perspective from we adults. All my nieces and nephews do. In their eyes life is good when they have their blankets, some food, and have family surrounding them. Pain can be quickly overcome after falling down and they don't stay down. Each one has learned to hop back up after falling. When does that change? I have noticed that I don't hop back up after a hurt (and I'm not talking physically.) A hurt feeling lasts a few minutes with a small child but can be nursed for hours, days, weeks, or even years by an adult. For some reason the older we get the more we seems to remember the pains that are inflicted on us, either by ourselves or by someone else. Why is that?

To go along with the theme of perspective, I give you several pictures that were taken by a three and a half year old:

I babysat Lauren last Thursday while her parents went to a play. She and I colored in our coloring books, sang, danced, took pictures, read, and then sang some more. I had a great time and I think she did as well. My camera is really simple. It has a very large viewer on the back so that you aren't required to put your eye up to a hole in order to see what you are shooting. After teaching her that she shouldn't put her fingers in front of the lens and that she had to hold the button down until the light flashed, she did pretty good. She ended up with about 40 shots but I thought these were some of the better ones. The last one I took (obviously.)

We had more fun than Lauren's dad

On Thursday I was able to drive up to Salt Lake and babysit Lauren. I arrived early and Lauren, John, and I walked down the block to buy some lemonade at a lemonade stand. Afterwards Lauren and I threw some balls around outside while we waited for Nana and Poppy to arrive. Once they did, we went to the Red Butte Cafe. The food was good and Lauren started to really worry that her parents were going to the theater. I think she was worried that her parents wouldn't be back for days. Once we got home, Lauren and I waved goodbye to her parents and her grandparents. All was well and Lauren and I left for the park. We had a great time on the playground and walking around in a little wooded area. We ended up staying until 8:30, her usual bedtime (whoops.) We walked home and put on pajamas. We read a lot of books and sang some great songs. For a three-year-old, Lauren can really hold a tune. She finally got to bed at 9:15pm (sorry Jen and John.) It was a lot of fun to spend time with her.
After Lauren went to bed, I finished Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Overall, I think it is a pretty good book. I would give it a B or B+. While it quoted directly from Pride and Prejudice, it was still a little choppy in the transitions between Austen and Grahame-Smith. I thought the idea was very original and look forward to his next book, which is apparently a book about Abraham Lincoln and his abilities as a vampire slayer.
After finishing Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which had a pretty bloody final fight scene, I started a book of essays by David Sedaris. Jen and John got home, where John expressed his dismay at the seeing Miss Saigon. I'd seen it and had told John that there was a helicopter in it and that it had some great music. I neglected to tell him about the tragic ending that might make his wife cry. The poor guy was blindsided. I left soon after John and Jen got home and I was able to get home by 11:30pm. Overall, it was a great night. I really wish I could spend time with all my nieces and nephews.

Three new bowls

So, as you scanned this post, you may have noticed that there are only pictures of two bowls, despite the title clearly saying that there are three. This is because I forgot to take a picture of Lauren's bowl before I gave it to her. As you may know, dear reader, I have decided to make a gift for each of my darling nieces and nephews. I made Sidney and Wyatt cups, for which I received a great phone call this morning. (Sidney and I talked for ten minutes before I realized that I was going to be late for church. She is so funny and smart.) Anyway, back to the whole three bowl vs two bowl situation. Yesterday morning Lauren called me. She was staying with her Nana and Poppy while her parents went on a date. Due to the weather, and her extreme love of me (the aunt said humbly,) they had decided to come down to Orem to visit. After they arrived we went straight to the library, which is the hottest place in town for my nieces and nephews. It turns out they were having a Cinco de Mayo celebration with dancers, so we stayed to watch. Afterwards we wandered around while Mom called Aunt Diane and Uncle Larry to see if they wanted to join us for lunch. We ended up at Mama Chu's, a mexican restaurant. Lauren ate the chips and salsa, which were actually pretty spicy. She said that she liked it, despite her runny nose and eyes. She then ate a good amount of rice and beans.
After lunch we stopped by Jeff and Heathers to see the home improvements. Heather is such an amazing designer. I then thought it would be nice to stop by Color Me Mine to see if my newest creations were done, which they were. One was a bowl for Tanner and the other was a bowl for Lauren. A picture of Tanner's is in this post but I was not able to get a picture of Lauren's yellow and orange bowl before it was sent home with her. The third bowl, pictured below, is from a Family Home Evening activity we had last week. Our singles ward invaded Color Me Mine and we all painted on the ward's dime.
After picking up the bowls with Lauren and my parents, we strolled through the Riverwoods were Mom proceeded to have a pretty bad allergic reaction to the Juniper Trees. I had no idea she was so allergic to them. We made it down the the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, where Poppy bought us all some chocolate. We returned to my house and I received some good gardening advice from my parents and Lauren got her diaper changed. All in all, it was a great way to spend a Saturday.

(As a postscript to this blog entry, it is important to note that the order of my creation does not in any way show a preference towards one niece or nephew in comparrison to another. Also, it's important that all my siblings know that these dishes are microwave and dishwasher safe.)

Pizza with Lauren

I got the chance to babysit Lauren last night in Salt Lake. As soon as I got there Lauren and I went outside to explore while we waited for Nana and Poppy to arrive. We discovered daffodils, tulips, and a small pile that a dog left on the front lawn. Luckily, Lauren thought to get her daddy so he could to find a shovel and dispatch the pile. (Man, she sure is smart for a three year old.) Lauren helped pick the restaurant after our first choice fell through. She said that she preferred pizza over a hamburger. We ended up at Litzas Pizza, where Lauren ate almost two whole pieces of pizza. We returned home, at a few girl scout cookies, and Lauren's parents took off. She cried for a minute and then the fun began. We danced, played hide and go seek, read books, and sang. I then got down my camera to take a picture of her. Here it is:I made the mistake of telling her to smile and she totally cheesed it up. Then she got a hold of the camera and took these (including a self portrait after she saw me do it:)
After Lauren sat on the potty for a few minutes (sadly nothing came out) we read lots of books. She started yawning at 9:15 so we sang a few songs and she went down. It was a great night, although the ride home wasn't my favorite due to the insane rain. Luckily, I arrived safe and sound at home. I'm excited to see the rest of my nieces and nephews this weekend. I am such a lucky aunt.

"Music?" she said in a sweet, questioning voice.

On Thursday I was able to take off early from work (my main boss had a flight to Texas earlier that day.) I drove to Salt Lake to Jen and John's house. Lauren and I looked at books, danced to The Sound of Music, and generally drove her mother crazy as she tried to cook. We had an excellent dinner. I especially enjoyed the flavored rice, and then Jen, John, Mom, and Dad went to see Noises Off at Pioneer Theater. Lauren and I danced, played, and read. After dancing, I would pause the music so we could play with some toys. After five minutes, she would look up into my face and say "music?" I would then turn on the music and we would sing and dance. I always think it is so cute to see a two-year-old dance. She also sang along with the "Do Re Me" song. We played until a little after 8, when I changed her into her pajamas and we read some books. Her eyes were getting droopy and she had yawned twice so I knew it was time the bedtime. We read two more books, sang two songs, and said our prayers. She went down quietly and I settled down in front of the tv. By 9pm, I realized that there was nothing on tv and I was growing drowsy. I decided to make myself useful and empty the clean dishes from the dishwasher and attempted to load the dirty dishes. I found the problem of doing dishes in someone else's house is that you are never sure what goes into the dishwasher. Such is life. Jen and John came home, we spoke for a few minutes, and then I was off to drive home. I got home late and spent a few minutes talking to Sarah before going to bed. I was pretty tired on Friday but I still managed to get a lot done.

I have officially found a new place to live. It is in a house less than a 1/3 of a mile away from where I currently live. I have put down a deposit and paid December's rent. I hope to move in the first or second weekend in December. Before I move in, I want to tear down some wallpaper (which I have the permission of my landlord to do.) Depending how long it takes me to do it will set my moving date. I have already started to look for boxes to pack. It will be hard moving away from Sarah but I had to find a place to live before Sarah leaves for France. I am hoping that she will let me buy some of her spare dishes and pans at a small discount since I don't have many of my own. I will have at least two roommates, whom I have met once.

The next big event in my life is looking for a new car. I haven't really had time to test drive cars although I've done research into cars for gas mileage, dependability, and other important factors. I will admit that I am pretty nervous since I've never made a purchase so large. I haven't the slightest idea how to proceed when it comes to financing or bargaining. Oh well, I guess that's what parents and siblings are for. I will have to ask a lot of questions to try to figure it all out.

A visit from Lauren and Jen

On Saturday morning Jen and Lauren came down to visit. At 10am on the dot, a little girl in a red coat and her mother were on my doorstep. We first drove to Springville to go to the museum. Lauren had fun finding the horses, camels, and other things in the paintings. In one of the rooms were drawings from Utah illustrators. They were all from children's books and I recognized about 2/3 of them.

On the way home we stopped by Gloria's, an Italian restaurant off University Avenue in Provo. I highly recommend it. Lauren ate like a pro and I liked my pasta as well. We then stopped by the Orem library so Lauren could see the boat, ride the elevator, and I could pick up some books. She got to sit at a little table that was just her size. We then returned to my place and Lauren and I went down for an hour nap while Jen read. When Lauren woke up, she and her Mom came to wake me. Jen and I then talked while Lauren played, then I realized I needed to go to the store. After we got home, it was time for Jen and Lauren to go home so they could get home in time for Lauren to get a shower before bedtime. I had a lot of fun with both of them.

Calls from Kids

I have had two great experiences with the phone in the past two days. On Wednesday, I answered my phone to find myself talking to Wyatt. While I didn't understand all that he said, I did understand my name and that he was a Nana's house. He also told me that his mom and dad were at work and that he liked Isaac. He talked a little more about being at Nana's house and then abruptly hung up. Luckily, Mom warned me about that an abrupt hang up might happen so I didn't call back to make sure that he was ok. My co-workers were looking at me like I was insane. When I told them it was my 2 and 1/2 year old nephew, they nodded understandingly. (They know how much I love my kids.) I couldn't stop smiling.

Today I heard my cell phone vibrate, which is a rare occurance when it is in my purse, which is kept in my desk. I answered it to find my sister and her daughter on the phone. What a treat to hear Lauren talk about riding a "horsey" at the fair and hear her say "chocolate milk." When she said my name and that she loved me, I misted up. I had a stupid grin on my face for the next hour, which was commented on by more than one person at work. It's amazing how the sweet voice of a child that you love can lift your heart. I am one lucky aunt. I can't wait to get together with my family to celebrate September birthdays.

A flood, fights, and some fun

First, I make my apologies to any readers of my blog. I know it has been quite a while since my last post. Perhaps an explanation of my last week will somehow explain my lack of posting. Last weekend was one of little sleep. I can't really explain why, but I could not sleep worth a darn. On Friday night I was only able to get a few hours. On Saturday night, I managed to get four. I saw the sun start to rise before my eyes closed for sleep. On Sunday night, I luckily got six and so was able to go to work the next day. I was a little grump and had a very busy day. I had to work late to work in the team list and entering the new hires. I went home and did my best to get some sleep. On Tuesday I awoke from almost seven hours of sleep refreshed and alert. Little did I know that I was in for a fight. While I can't go into it, being the confidential HR issue that it was, I can say that I was extremely annoyed and let my annoyance show to my boss and co-workers. I'm afraid that no one at work could ever accuse me of being unopinionated or nonverbal. Anyway, by 6pm I was pretty tired.
A little after 6, Sarah called me to ask if I had noticed anything strange about the water that morning. I hadn't. I was then informed that we had a miniature flood at our house and Sarah was worried that the water heater had decided to become a water fountain. By the time I got home, the problem was discovered. Our next door neighbor's pipe and burst and had flooded both her townhouse and ours. Sarah used the wet vac and I used the mop and we cleaned up the best we could. The owner of the neighboring townhouse came by to say that he would be calling disaster clean-up and being paying for the whole mess. The kitchen, bathroom, hall, and over half of the front room was a wet disaster. We moved some furniture upstairs and to a neighbor's house (thanks Scotty for babysitting the chairs and a table.) At 8pm, I decided to finally sit down and have dinner. Just after my mom called, listened to my day, and then proceeded to give me some bad news. Since it is not my news to share, I won't. Needless to say, I was in tears and decided that this was a horrible, no good, very bad day. I fell into bed expecting immediate sleep but was kept awake by my concern for another. Finally I got to sleep at midnight. The next day I was tired, emotional, and not in the mood to talk. Sadly, the Facilities manager asked how my day was going and I, unfortunately, told him. The poor man looked at my tear-stained cheeks marred by the horrible bags under my eyes and promptly offered me chocolate and a listening ear. The rest of the day did not go well.
On Thursday, I had another strong disagreement with my superiors. Not to worry dear readers, I won't regale you with the sorry details and thus turn your brains to mush. By Friday, I had decided that the week couldn't get any worse. Luckily for me, I had decided to go home for the weekend to see my sister and her dear daughter. I left work at a decent hour and went shopping for Sidney's birthday gift. I got to Kaysville too late to see Lauren before she went to sleep but managed to have a good talk with my mom and sister. Jen and I talked a little more as we lay in in the dark in the twin beds downstairs. It kind of reminded me of when we were younger and I went to visit her house in Salt Lake before she was married.
On Saturday, we decided to go to a little water park in Ogden after Alison suggested it. Josh called to see if Dad wanted to go to the movie that afternoon and ended up being invited to the park so his son could play in the water. Sadly, Britnie wasn't feeling well so we didn't invite Wyatt and Sidney. Only later did I realize that I very easily could have gone and picked them up, leaving Britnie to rest in peace. (Honestly, I think my brain is working slower these days.) It was a lot of fun and we ended up at a little sandwich shop for lunch. Isaac is getting more and more adventurous and Tanner is walking quite quickly these days. After we went home, Lauren and I went down for a nap and then got up in time to play outside. Jen left for dinner with some friends and Poppy and I took Lauren for a walk. I then bathed her and Nana and I put her to bed. Lauren is getting very good at singing "Old McDonald" and "The ABC song," which I can only attribute to good genes and having a great mother. Thus ended my week. Luckily, I knew that the new week would start out well because we were going to be celebrating Sidney's birthday. Thus ends the horrible week.

Babysitting Lauren

On Thursday I went up to babysit Lauren. We had a great time. Lauren helped me take a picture of her mommy and I managed to get a pretty good picture of John, Lauren, and Dad. After wonderful meal made by Jennifer, all the other grown-ups left for the theater. Lauren and I took a walk around the block. We saw a dog, at which Lauren barked, and stopped to look at some rocks. Even though it was kind of cold, she wouldn't keep her mittens and hat on. Every time she ran, she said "fast." It started to get really cold so we went back home. Lauren and I then ate some bread, sang, played the piano, read books, and I chased her around. After a very messy diaper, I got her ready for bed. She now brushes her teeth (sort of.) She helped me read Goodnight Moon, Goodnight Gorilla, and The Going to Bed Book. She was pretty tired so it only took her about five minutes to fall asleep. I then had a hard time staying away. It was another wonderful night.

Lauren's Sudoku book and cat

On Thursday I got to leave work early and drive to Salt Lake. The occasion was my chance to babysit Lauren while Jen, John, and Dad went to the theater. I met them at John and Jen's house. We then went to The Bombay House, where Lauren proceeded to clean her mother's plate. She then tried to clean out my purse, draw on my place mat, and read my Sudoku book. It was so much fun. She now says Poppy and Nana in her cute little voice. After her parents and Dad left for the play, Lauren and I ran around. After a minor accident, we changed her clothes. Lauren cleaned out my purse; taking time to write in my Sudoku book. She and I also talked to her cat, Meow-meow, and read several books. I think it is funny that she has an attachment to that cat since it used to be mine. It was one of the few stuffed animals that I kept and I love the fact that she has nicknamed it and sleeps with it. She also said the word "Poppy" every time she saw my camera. (I couldn't help but laugh since Dad is known for his camera.) By 8:30am, she and I were worn out. She went to sleep fast. It was wonderful to see her. Although I didn't realize it at the time, Lauren kept my Sudoku book for herself. Jen found it the next day. It amazes me what can bring joy to a child. I plan to let her keep it. Why should I keep a book that cost me a few dollars when one of my nieces or nephews finds such joy in it?

Saying "hi" with Lauren

On Thursday I was able to go up to Salt Lake to babysit Lauren. After we (Jen, John, Mom, Dad, and I) ate an amazing dinner cooked by Jen, I got to play with Lauren. I chased her around like a puppy dog and snapped at her heels. She thought I was very funny and couldn't stop laughing. She showed me how she could use a broom and push a shopping cart. Mom introduced Lauren to the art of licking beaters. It was funny to see Lauren try to figure it out. Once she did, she kept saying "Mmmm." Luckily, John and I were on hand with cameras. One of the funniest moments of the night was when I recorded Lauren saying "hi." I had forgotten that my phone had the ability to record voice notes. Lauren was playing with my phone and got into the program. I pressed record and said "say hi." She said "hi" and I hit the end button. When I played it back, she looked shock to hear her own voice and then waved and said "hi" to the phone. I about died laughing. I then played it again and she waved and said "hi" again. I didn't get her to bed until 9pm since we were having so much fun. Despite the raging headache I had, I wouldn't have given up one second with her. It is amazing how much I love my nieces and nephews. I wish I lived closer to all of them.

Babysitting Lauren

I left work early on Thursday so that I could babysit Lauren. While Mom, Dad, Jen, and John went to the theater, I had lots fun with Lauren. I left work at 4:30pm, an unheard of time, and drove to Salt Lake. We had a great meal prepared by Jen and Mom. All the other adults left and Lauren and I got down to the business of play. We read books, played with farm animals, and ran around. At one point, Lauren found a purse in her toy box. She put it over her shoulder, and tried to leave out the front door. I laughed and she then started running around the house with the purse. I finally got a picture of her laughing and holding the purse. I tried to take more pictures, but every time I took out my camera, she wanted to hold it. The picture below is her coming towards me when she noticed I was trying to take a picture. I didn't get Lauren into bed until 8:45pm because we were having so much fun. Jen and John came home before 10pm and I was on my way back to Orem by 10:30pm. I love babysitting my nieces and nephews. They are so cute and funny.

Shopping with Lauren

On Saturday night, while Dad was at the Priesthood session of General Conference, Mom, Lauren, Jen, and I went for a car ride and went shopping. At Bowmans, there are some very cute children's shopping carts. I had to take some pictures. She was so funny; occasionally stopping to try to take something off the shelf and put it in her cart.

Lunch with Jen, Mom, and Lauren

On Friday I got to eat lunch with Mom, Jen, and Lauren at Macaroni Grill in Provo. It was a nice break from a busy day at work. It was so nice to see them, have fun, and relax. Work has been a little stressful lately and I needed a small break. I hope they, and anyone else who want to come, can come down and meet me for lunch again. As a small note, I would like to encourage everyone to order what they know they like on a menu and not be swayed by others (ie a mother or a server.) Luckily, I had chocolate cake after my strange pasta to make up for it. :)

Saturday with part of the family

On Saturday I slept in until 10 am. I then got up and did some housework while I waited for my mother to call me. Grandma Roberts had traveled down from Idaho and the Roberts sisters were meeting at Aunt Diane's house for food and talking. Sarah and I met up with them at a restuarant at 2pm, then went to Diane's house to talk and watch old family movies. It was strange to see my mother as a three-year-old toddler. She reminded me a lot of Wyatt. I managed to get Lauren to sleep for a half an hour, but then she woke up hungry. Sidney and I took Dexter for a walk. My two beautiful nieces left by 6 pm but I stayed until almost 11 pm. It was nice to see my aunts, mother, sister, grandmother, and two nieces.

A visit to the doctor (and Jen)

Last Wednesday, May 16th, I left work at 11:15 am to go to a doctor's appointent in Salt Lake. Dr. Katz is really nice, for an opthomologist, and I really like the new Moran Eye Center. He said that my eyes are progressing at a little faster than normal but it will still be a couple of decades before I go blind. Yeh! We did the regular eye exam, a visual field test, and a pressure test. I took a picture of the sign in the waiting room but it didn't turn out as well as I would have hoped. Before my appointment I had lunch with Jen and Lauren. We went to an excellent bakery, of which I cannot remember the name of. We then sat on the grass and talked a little. I love talking to Jen. She can comfort me when I am upset, give me good advice, or make me laugh. It was also a joy to be around Lauren. With her lovely blue eyes and wrinkled nose, you can't help but smile at her. She was charming people in the bakery. I took a couple of pictures of them before I left. Lauren wouldn't look at the camera because cars and grass are more interesting. I didn't get back to Orem until 4:15pm. I was so tired that I just went home. Even taking off most of Wednesday, I still managed to work 42 hours last week.

Babysitting Lauren

On Tuesday, May 8th, I got the chance to babysit Lauren. On Sunday, my mom had reminded me that she, Dad, John, and Jen had a play on Tuesday and that I was to babysit Lauren. I made a mental note to be off work early so I could make it on time. I went over the the Larry and Diane's neighbor on Monday and asked if she would be able to take care of Dexter on Tuesday night. She said that she would be happy to do so. I had to work until at least five but promised myself that I wouldn't work a minute past that time. Five o'clock rolled around the people started to come and ask me questions. I explained the situation and then ran for the door. I met Jen, John, Lauren, Mom, Dad, Michael, Shannon, and Katie at a restaurant at the Gateway. They had ordered me an appetizer and some water. We ate a very good meal, then split up. I took my parents van back to Jen and John's house and they took my car to the play. On the way home, Lauren and I stopped at Barnes and Noble to buy Dad his birthday present. We then made our way home. We played on the grass for a little while and watched cars go by. I am not sure why but Lauren seems to love being outside. Maybe it is the fact that there are so many things to look at and touch. Afterwards we went inside and she showed me how she can take the star-shaped rings off her toy. She also tried to climb me when she realized that I was holding a camera. It was pretty cute. We sang, read some books, and she was in bed by 9:15pm. I watched Jane Eyre. When Jen and John came home, I left for home. It was a fun night.

Cold feet on the Sabbath

On Saturday I had the opportunity to babysit Lauren. I was up in Salt Lake by 12:15 pm to meet Jen, John, Mom and Dad. We ate lunch at the Citrus Grill. While the rest of the group went to see a play, Lauren and I sat on the grass of her front yard. First we watched cars, then the neighbors had their lawn aerated. This was a fascinating event. She held onto a piece of grass and watched with barely a blink of her long eyelashes. The postman commented on her adorable face while handing off the mail. At long last, Lauren and I both decided that it was time for her nap. After a diaper change and a quick story, I put her to bed. Two cries later, she couldn't have been awakened by the four horsemen armed with thunderbolts. I read, watched tv for five minutes, and then decided on a quick nap. I was awakened by my family returning from the play. Apparently, it had some bad language and a mean grandma. I headed home, stopping at the video store along the way. I ended up with episodes of CSI: NY. My foot, the sprained one, was throbbing. I came home to find Sarah hanging pictures and dusting and Camille asleep. After having a dinner of pizza, I worked on my journal and pictures.
Saturday morning began with me leaving early for church. As ward librarian, I have to go early so I can print off the program for Sacrament meeting. Sarah joined my for the rest of church. One of the most interesting parts of church was the Relief Society lesson. The lesson was on the life of Pres. Hinckley and pioneers. At one point, the teacher asked us to all write our names on a piece of paper. She collected them, then invited two elders and one sister into the room. She had them stick their feet in a buckets of water filled with ice. They were really cold. As we all stood, she would read off three names for every thirty seconds the two men and one woman kept their feet completely submerged in the buckets of ice water. After five minutes, you could really tell that they were getting really cold and their feet hurt. As the names were read off, we were saved on our trek through life. The cold feet in ice were to represent the three young men who carried saints across the Sweetwater River. It was a very good lesson. After Sarah and I came home, I made a double batch of cornbread to take to Break the Fast. It was fun to get together and eat with ward members. Jake, Melissa, and Keri sat by us and were very entertaining. Afterwards, Sarah went on a walk while I worked on my blanket. Thus ends the Sabbath Day.

The fear of quilting

On Saturday morning I went up to Mom and Dad's for quilting.

It was decided a few weeks ago that Alison was going to teach us how to make a quilt square. Having never pieced a quilt in my life, this was a daunting idea indeed. I chose my fabric on Friday and forgot to throw it in the washer. I got to Kaysville by 10:15 am. I played with Isaac and Lauren while we were getting set up. After cutting out my fabric, I took a quick break and went to the hair salon. After returning, I held Tanner. He got his first cast on to fix his club foot. Saturday was the first time I had really gotten the chance to hold this sweet boy. He slept the whole time but it was completely wonderful. Isaac and Lauren were darling as usual, although Lauren refused to take a nap. It was great to see everyone. Thankfully, Sarah has a sewing machine that I can use since I didn't get much sewing done. Everyone managed to finish. Because of my trip to the hair salon and a baby shower, I am horribly behind. Such is life. (By the way, I still am scared of quilting.)