Sticky Van Floor

Dad mentioned that we are in Bellevue for the week. We left on Friday after Seth finished with school. True to Zirker form it was stressful getting out the door but the sheets have been changed, the beds are made, the laundry is clean and put away, the garbage has been taken out and I even made poppy seed chicken and pumpkin bread to bring with us. We stopped at a gas station just across the blue bridge near Vantage and pulled over to eat and let Weston use the potty. We're officially in potty training mode. We brought Weston's potty with us. When we stopped to eat, all kinds of memories came flooding back. First, Weston climbed up front and sat on the center console to eat his dinner. It was reminiscent of driving around in the mustang looking at Christmas lights while sitting on my strawberry shortcake pillow on the emergency brake (which also randomly reminds me that I used to sleep underneath the table in the pop-up next to the port-o-john, blue water and all...) After dinner, Weston needed to use the potty so Seth set it up just outside Weston's door on the ground. Of course, Weston wasn't about to sit out in the cold, so we put the potty on the driver seat and let Weston do his thing there. Which brought back all kinds of memories of dodging the yellow trickle as it made its way up to the front of the van on the hot tin floor. Luckily the trickle never made its way to the back where the sleeping bags were shooved between the two seats...it was probably for the best that the van wasn't carpeted except for the light blue rug in the front.
We're excited to be here for the week. Tim and Erin have passes to the Science Center so we'll probably go on Wednesday. Stephanie is due any day, and I'm hoping she has her baby while we're here. We're also excited to go to the Temple. They had Stake Conference today and they only had one session because they changed the Stake Presidency. We got there about ten minutes early and we sat on the last row in the back of the gym. There were over a thousand people there. They had TV's and screens set up in three other rooms. It was a mad house.
Hopefully, we won't have exciting stories about our trip home. The Rodeo has been drinking almost a bottle of antifreeze a week, is that normal??? For some reason, it only drinks it around town and not on the freeway. We have two bottles just in case...

Kevin's already asleep...

I guess I'll take over for the evening with the obnoxious posts and comments. I'll try to keep it clean. Kevin has had a rough couple of nights. Last night he claimed he couldn't sleep because his mind was just going. He was making up songs for scout camp. I stirred around 3 AM and there he was with paper and pen, jotting away. He sang it for me today...maybe I could record it and share it with you all. So, tonight he graciously offered to help put Raya to bed. We took down her crib last week and going to bed isn't as easy as it used to be. I hate that first week of "newness" what you just want to revert back. I just didn't want to have two cribs set up when I put my house on the market so we needed plenty of time to adjust. Raya is our early riser now, usually by 6:30, 7AM if I'm really lucky. I just go down stairs, turn on Blue's Clues and curl up under a blanket and she's good for an hour.

Today I was released as first counselor in the primary, and then sustained as first counselor in the primary with a new presidency. There isn't any change for me, but the other three changed. It's a fun group of ladies, who love to talk. I can only imagine how long our presidency meetings will last???!!!
Other than that, Kevin's been a designing fool. He presented threedesigns on Saturday, has to revise all of them this week, and present again hopefully on Saturday. He enjoys it and oh, the familiar sounds of the ruler sliding, and the stinky markers. Brings back memories (and the crazy hours of 1 or 2AM bedtime!)
We're hoping to get our house on the market by May 1. We know the market is not the best right now, but the timing feels a lot better and hopefully it'll sell. My parents are coming out first week of April, while Kevin is in Orlando for a training, and they will help paint, pack, and play with the grandkids of course, if I let them have a break! Tah-tah for now.

This Summer?

I did a short blog yesterday but I thought I'd add a few more things tonight. Seth and Lacey are in Belleview so it was a little quiet and lonely today. Because it is spring break, I cancelled bishop's and PEC meetings. There were about 15 couples in church today. After sacrament meeting Mom and I went over to Rolling Hills ward and I stood in when Shawn blessed their new baby, Landon. Seth, I passed your info on to Doug Schroeder and asked him to kind of watch things in Elders quorum. I talked to Trevor Hill about his move and it seems to be under control.

This afternoon Mom and I drove around town looking at house, trim, and roof colors. When we got home I went over and talked to Pat and Tracy Dollars about all the work they did on their house last fall. Here is what we plan to do: Re-roof (the roofer should be here in May/June. We like about one shade lighter that black. Sort of a charcoal). New windows (front only, due to cost). We will use white vinyl sliders (maybe the rest next year). New fascia, trim around the windows (the shutters are history). The body of the house will be sort of a sage green and the trim will be a light cream color. The basketball hoop is coming down. We will save it for when the grand kids get older. We may put it back up then. This all sounds great and we have said it before but this summer we plan to do it.

I am signed up to take my Ham Radio test on the 29th of March. Wish me luck. Thanks for the help and phone call last night Brant.

Have a good week.

Good Old Politicking

Yesterday was our county's Republican Convention. I wasn't sure what to expect but it turned out to be a lot of fun. It was held at the El Jebel Shrine in north Denver. (The hallways were covered with old pictures of old men in their hats.) I thought I was getting there early, but turned out I still had to park 5 blocks away. As I walked in, I met a lot of people that I know from my stake.

As we checked in, we were given a badge. We then had to find our assigned seat. It was neat because they literally had to "seat the delegates" and then seat the alternates in any empty chairs.

Most of it was routine business. The candidates got up on stage and gave their little speeches. It was fun to remember my "Robert's Rules" for parlimentary procedure as we went along with motions, seconds, ayes and nays.

The real fun came at the end when we broke out into our indivdual senate and house districts. (I had to make notes on my card so that I would remember which group I went with.) They told us to get into various corners of the room with our groups. Imagine 800 people all trying to talk and hear at the same time. The old guys in our group started getting onry about not hearing over the noise so we took our group outside on the front lawn. We had an empty seat for our local State Senator so they asked if any of us wanted to run. We got three volunteers and then held an election by secret ballot right on the front lawn. I guess you could say it was a "grassroots" effort!

When I got home, I told Les that with the old building and all the political signs hanging everywhere, the only thing missing was our round straw hats with red, white and blue bands around them. Good old politicking at its best.

Brant

Spring is springing

My first flower is in bloom. That's why I love crocuses- they're always the first to pop up. Hoo-rah!

Five and Alive

We are still alive. Here are a few recent family events.

Korbin turned three a couple of weeks ago, and...

Trent was not feeling well, so he slept through most of the birthday celebration.

Next came Valentines Day, and Hallee wanted to take Home-made valentines to school in the form of heart shaped, double layer sugar cookies. They worked out well for all of us!

In the mean time Rett has become much more mobile, and rolls/scoots all over. He is so good!

Then, last Sunday, we had stake conference. I was asked to do the flowers again, and made 3 large flower arrangements for our stake center and the other building next to it. Our Stake Presidency was changed, and we had a visiting General Authority. The adult meeting was my favorite as usual, but the sunday session was very good too. We were sitting in the 5th row, so the kids all got to shake hands with the general authority, and area authority that was his traveling companion.

As always, we are happy, well and busy. The side work is coming in, and there is never a shortage of places to be. The kids go off-track March 24th for 3 weeks, and later on we will be in Utah for Jessie's wedding April 30th (yes, it is a wednesday.)

Have a great Sunday!

Jamie and kids (Erik is still at the church)