Grass Family Journal: September 2010

Last weekend, we took the boys to the Am West Heritage Center. They loved playing on the huge pirate ships made of hay the best I think since they just watched Pirates of the Caribbean. Elijah could be heard singing the theme song loud and clear over and over.(dun dun *dun dun dun dun* dun dun dun dun* dun dun dun*) We also got lost in the very huge corn maze and were hefting tired little ones on our back by the end. It actually made for a good talk for Malachi the next day in church. We are excited to go back there again in a couple of weeks when the train, ponies, and Haunted Hollow are up and running, too.

John also took the boys on a bike ride up Green Canyon. Imagine the four little ones huffing up the mountain! John said they did great and didn't give up- even Elijah. Little Sarah G met them up there and helped out. I think it whetted John's desire to take a serious ride with Sarah sometime soon.

Basketball season has begun and the three oldest boys had their first games this week. Malachi and Jaron are on the same team. I think Jaron is really starting to understand the game and what Malachi lacks in experience and skill he makes up for in enthusiasm. We were lucky to have Gr. Pam and Wade up for a visit for the first game on Tuesday and the younger boys were able to show off for them.
Isaac is becoming more confident and aggressive. He scored a basket in his first game and got lots of rebounds (he was also the only one with a foul). We are teaching the boys there are only two rules in basketball: don't give up and have fun! Harder than it sounds sometimes.

Friday night John and I attended the performance of the Scarlet Pimpernel at the Eccles Theater. What amazing voice talent and comedic timing. I had just read the book by Baroness Orczy so the storyline was bright in my mind. Thanks to Sarah for watching the boys last minute.

Saturday morning we had a special Primary activity about the temple. We were able to get a few pictures at the Logan Temple. We are so blessed to have one so close where the boys can remark on it every time we go past. We enjoy walking around the temple on Sundays. They are fascinated with beautiful flowers and the steep hills. How do they mow those anyway we'd like to know.

John left on Sunday for a business trip to the Midwest and will be gone for five days. He'll be in Iowa and Wisconsin mostly and will even manage to fit in a few fun things like a trip to Nauvoo and the World Dairy Expo. We love and miss him lots!

Fall has me thinking of doing some more family journaling again. With the boys back in school the days are less hectic and projects seem more doable. We’ve had a busier summer than usual this year- a trip to Arches National Park in Moab, a Terhune family reunion in Estes, CO, an IFA Conference in Jackson Hole, and Jaron’s Baptism at Martin’s Cove. We are enjoying a bit of peace and calm for now.

Elijah is his Mom’s best errand boy these days- that is we love going places together. He is has so much enthusiasm and is always well behaved. He especially likes looking at the Halloween decorations and eating Great Harvest bread. It’s great one-on-one time.

He has been having a blast riding his bike lately with no training wheels. We realized toward the end of August that he had only ever ridden his Big Wheel so we slapped some extra wheels on the smallest bike and let him at it. After only a couple weeks he wanted them off and is now cruising with his big brothers. Elijah loves showing off his latest tricks, from coasting with no feet- to the longest skid marks- to riding one-handed.

Malachi loves being in the same school with his older brothers now, since they have integrated the grades. Every morning the three oldest boys strap on their helmets, make a few laps around our cul-de-sac while shouting goodbyes and “I love you”s, then speed off to school together. He comes home every day with a new adventure to tell as well as a detailed opinion on the school lunches. Last weekend he got to spend the night with his cousins Thomas and Cameron alone, his first over-nighter without Mom, Dad, or brothers. Luckily he had his new stuffed cat, Ella, to cuddle with when he felt alone at night.

Jaron has been enjoying being a new Cub Scout. He earned his Bobcat rank in less than a month before his first pack meeting. His leaders are organized and his den meetings range from water parties to forensic analysis to fire truck visits.Jaron officially moved into Isaac’s bedroom in the basement before school started. They seem to be having smashing time but struggle with getting to bed at a decent hour naturally.

Isaac seems to be growing up so much lately. He can mow our entire curvy lawn now and even do a pretty decent job. Of course, John is an excellent teacher. He has even started baby-sitting his brothers, too. Last night we went to Back-to-School Night for an hour or so and when we came home the dishes were done and the house was spic and span clean –wow! How do you reward such initiative without breaking the bank? We've decided we can sometimes pay Isaac in Supreme Commander 2 playing time.

For his birthday he got this cool PC strategy game which he is normally only allowed to play it on the weekends. As baby-sitting payment he may now play btw 5-7am before school if his checklist is done (which is actually easy peasy for our early riser.) We still pay him in cold hard cash sometimes, but I think Isaac prefers his military game. John assures me it's somewhat educational,too- with the right "guide" of course (John?).

In addition to our family trips and his IFA work this summer, John has kept pretty busy with outdoor home projects. He’s poured concrete pads and mow edges, installed our vinyl fence, and planted and weeded our garden. We’ve had especially good pumpkins and corn this fall!

He had Labor Day off so he took Isaac, Jaron, and a neighbor friend early to his Trenton mill and had some fun shooting at pesky pigeons with his pellet gun. Then the boys finished off the job with their BB guns.

John is also an awesome Sunday School teacher, too. We’ve learned so much about the Old Testament this year.

As for myself, I’ve been getting back to exercising at the gym a few times a week with some light toning, stretching and elliptical. It’s not much but feels good. I’m at a nice time in my pregnancy with the misery of the first months behind and the aches and pains of the last months yet to come. The boys are excited and intrigued about the new baby coming. I was surprised when Isaac said he had no memories of the last pregnancies. He was five when Elijah was born. It's been fun for them.

I’ve also been busy with the Young Women with midweek activities, Sunday lessons, and Girls Camp. I like my calling.

I’ve been able to read a few books, too. The long anticipated Mocking Jay was a bit of a disappointment. Warriors Don’t Cry is our book club book this month and is about Black integration in the South in 1957- at Central High School in Little Rock, AZ. Sheri Dew’s No One Can Take Your Place is another inspiring book I’m working on. I’m trying to keep a better-balanced reading selection these days.

In the yard this week, I got to plant a few mums, asters, lavender, and a couple fruit trees. We really hope they survive.

I think September is overall such a nice month of the year - the cool, the calm, the back-to-school. It's the peace before the holiday storm ( If you're not a teacher I guess). We hope to take advantage of it.