Family Visitors Weekend for Wade's ordination--can we please press repeat?

Last weekend was one for the memory books.  We were so happy to have family visitors in town for Wade's ordination at church.  Turning 12 is a very big deal--he was excited to become a deacon and receive the Aaronic priesthood!  Other bonuses were having family at his flag football game on Saturday and a friendly audience to watch him participate in his final children's presentation during our congregation's sacrament meeting on Sunday.

We all agreed that the weekend couldn't have gone better.  So much food, fun, and laughter!  Thank you to those who made the trip to be with us--we love you and loved having you here in the desert with us.

What a happy day!  Here we are with Sandi Collins, Grandma Deb and Grandpa Rod, Bishop Washburn, Brother Robins, Grandpa Rich and Grandma Donna, Uncle Brant, Aunt Chris, and Greyson!

Happiness!!!

Enjoying the gorgeous weather on the porch--just right!

Being silly with Grandpa Rich

Selfie time!

The flag football game was so fun!  I personally had a great time introducing our family members to any human who walked by, haha!

With my mommy and daddy

I love this picture of Rhiannon with Grandpa and Grandma!

This picture is a little fuzzy, but I love how it captures the grandparents together.  We are so blessed to have parents who get along well and enjoy each other!!!!

Wade with Grandma Deb and Grandpa Rod

Wade with Grandma Donna and Grandpa Rich

Wade with our dear friend Sandi Collins

We were playing a great game that Wade got for his birthday called 5-Second Rule.  LOTS of fun!!!

It's hard to make a Top "10" list, but I'll try.  In no particular order, here are some of our favorite moments from the weekend:

1.  Food.  Beef stroganoff, Red Vines, Bit-O-Honey candy, cinnamon rolls, donuts, nacho bar, chicken salad, sandwiches, chips, taquitos, etc.

2.  Fun at Wade's flag football game!

3.  Being at church together

4.  Uncle Brant surprising Wade with the tie he was wearing that day, Uncle Brant's favorite.

5.  Playing with Greyson upstairs

6.  5-Second Game, playing with the mini-pool game, tossing the football, shooting guns, hot tubbing, and basketball

7.  Help in the kitchen!

8.  Boys watching football, girls talking girl stuff. :)

9.  Grandma Donna's "black people" comment during the 5-Second game.  Classic.

10.  Watching "Blackish" with Grandma Deb and Grandpa Rod; watching "The Flash" with Grandpa Rich and Grandma Donna

11.  WADE'S ORDINATION!!!!!!!!  So neat!

12.  Hearing Wade narrate the Primary program in his new manly voice

13.  Visiting, laughing, press repeat.


We felt the love!  It was a wonderful weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GPa Rod and GMa Deb visit Ridgecrest!

Our Spring Break 2015 started out in the best possible way last Thursday night!  Grandpa Rod and Grandma Deb rolled into town and greeted Rhiannon and Wade as they came home from piano and basketball practices.  Our vacation had begun!

The weekend was nice and low-key.  We did many fun things with our special visitors:

--had lunch at a new food truck called The Dog Haus near Leroy Jackson Park, 

--ate dinner at Red Bowl (Asian food), 

--enjoyed a visit from the Easter Bunny, 

--took a trip out to the Indian Wells Brewery and got a TON of sodas, 

--took walks, 

--played a lot of board games, 

--listened to piano "recitals" from Rhiannon and Wade

--broke in Grandpa's new Kia (REALLY NICE CAR),

--listened to some of General Conference,

--had a great Easter dinner and conversation with Howard and Sandi,

--watched movies and TV,

--watched some exciting NCAA basketball games,

--and r-e-l-a-x-e-d.

Grandpa and Grandma were really good sports about our 4-legged family members, too.  We are pretty sure Oscar fell in love with Grandma because he became her permanent shadow around the house!

Thanks for a lovely visit--we enjoyed every minute of it!!!!

Grandpa Rich and Grandma Donna come to visit!

Oh, man, where to begin?  We had a BLAST for Spring Break this year with Grandpa Rich and Grandma Donna!  We didn't go to the beach or visit Disneyland, nope, we just hung out in the desert and enjoyed each other's company the whole time!

Some highlights:

The girls got pedicures.  Thank you for that treat, Grandma!  It's been 2 weeks, and I'm still enjoying the results from mine!

The boys golfed, got donuts, played basketball, and bought a "treat" for our garden patch.  Grandpa said Wade did pretty good driving the golf cart--just needs to take corners more slowly, haha!

A LOT of pool was played!

We had gorgeous weather the whole week except for Wednesday--that day the wind was CrAzY!  Grandpa and the kids braved the wind and played a little b-ball at the park, but we spent most of the day indoors and played board games.  

One day we drove to Walker Pass for a picnic and hike.  Grandpa and Grandma were troopers!

Grandpa joined Jason and Wade for some gun-shooting, too.

What am I missing?  Grandma Donna SPOILED our dogs and gave them SO MUCH attention that week.  We went to church together, we ate at Ale's Steakhouse one night and invited Howard and Sandi to join us.  We got in the hot tub, watched lots of movies, and had fun watching HGTV shows with Grandma Donna.  A side benefit of driving them to and from the airport in Ontario was that we got to do some retail therapy at Ontario Mills Mall.

What a fun time!  We love you--thanks for coming to see us!

A rescue

So, as everyone else probably guessed already, Day 2 of the palate expander wasn't as easy as Day 1. This morning I felt like the worst mom ever--as Wade tried eating soggy Frosted Flakes for breakfast, he got really frustrated and was in a lot of pain. I asked him "where it hurt." His eyes got big and he made this impatient circle around his whole mouth, sort of a "duh, Mom, where do you THINK it hurts?" gesture.

I started talking my head off, trying to encourage him, but I could see him mentally retreating FAST and getting more upset, a preview of the future teen years, I'm sure!

I stopped talking.

I used my brain for a minute.

And then I said, "Let's call Grandma Deb. She's been dealing with a lot of pain lately, too, and I bet she'd know how to help you."

After a quick phone call and some very kind, sound advice from Grandma Deb, Wade put down the phone and shoved a banana in his mouth and started chewing away.  He said, "It doesn't hurt anymore."

My first thought was, "Huh, I guess the Tylenol is finally kicking in."  But I know the real answer--Grandma gave Wade permission to cry and be upset and then explained the science behind tears.  She gave him good ideas for dealing with the pain, too, such as keeping ahead of it with regular pain medication.  And I'm sure she said she loved him and would be thinking of him.

Thanks for the rescue, Grandma Deb.  We love you, too!