Piano Recital

Tonight was our piano recital. It was a very good one. It was kind of emotional for me. This was the last recital for five of my students that I have been teaching now for years. They are moving on to college and other things. It was kind of neat though that I had these kids come to me not knowing anything and now here they are playing the piano. It is really cool. My three oldest children also played really well. Here are the video's of them playing.

Abigail, playing "Ode to Joy"


Joshua, playing "The Purple Cow"


Jacob, playing "Ballade"

Busy Weekend

This weekend was a busy one. On Saturday, I had a Stake Service project that I went to and then John and the kids loaded up the tree that we cut down and took three loads of trash to the dump. Then Jacob mowed our whole yard for the first time. It is really neat to be able to have the boys getting old enough to really help and do some of these kinds of things.

Abigail had her first soccer game. She really had fun.

This is not the best pic. I will get a better picture next week.

Then John made us dutch oven potatoes and Hamburgers for dinner. It was a great day. I love it when we get so much accomplished.

Jacob's Science Fair

This past weekend Jacob took 2nd place in the School Science Fair and got to go to the District Science Fair. He didn't place at District, but had a lot of fun. We are proud of him for taking 2nd place at the school and getting to move on.

He did his science fair project on which batteries last longer: Name brand or generic. His results were they were both very close. So for the money it saves you, buy generic.

Are We Ready for an Emergency

Tonight, for Family Home Evening we had a test run to see if we are prepared. It all started at dinner. I didn't cook anything and when I called everyone to the table to eat, John turned the power out in the kitchen and the weather turned out nicely. The wind was blowing and the dark black rain clouds were blowing in and then the power went out. The kids are scared and then John comes in and says"I think we're having a earthquake, quick get under the table." So we all gather under the table, (Abigail is now crying hysterically) and we talk about what to do in an earthquake. Then we had everyone go to their rooms to pretend to sleep and then John pushes the fire alarm. We all exit the house and go to our family meeting point. Now everyone is having fun. Then John shows us how to shut off the gas and water.

Now comes the fun part. Because we have had an emergency we need to pull out our 72 hour kits and eat dinner from this. Well, I filled our 72 hour kits 4 year ago and after we got all the food out, everything was expired! (ha, ha,) Good thing we did this now and not when there was a real emergency. So we ended up throwing almost everything away and had french toast for dinner.

But we learned a few things:

1. Don't store things that expire in the same year you buy them.
2. Store things that you really will eat (we had things that were on the list that nobody like)
3. Rotate the food yearly so when a disaster strikes you have fresh food.
4. Put your food in a ziploc bag for easier rotation. (I had sealed our kits in mylar bags, but you can't rotate food in and out of them. If they were in a ziploc bag I could rotate things easier.)

So now I will go buy new food for our 72 hour kits and hopefully remember to rotate it more often.

It was a pretty good FHE and all the kids learned a few things.

Easter/Spring Break

Well, this past weekend has been our Spring Break and Easter weekend. Of course, it SNOWED!! My kids were not too happy with that, but they made the best of it and put their snow clothes on and went out and played in the snow with their cousin McKayla.

We died Easter eggs Friday night. It was fun. I had taken some better pics, but after I had taken them, I realized the memory stick wasn't in the camera!! ugh.




On Saturday, we went to Grandma and Grandpa Atkinson's for an Easter party and to watch General Conference. It was a great conference. It seemed to me, they talked a lot about how to raise your children. Very good stuff. During dinner, Wyatt kept trying to steal food off of Grandpa's plate.


We had an Easter egg hunt at Grandma's. The grandkids all loved this. Here are some pics.

My New Washing Machine

I love my new washing machine!

I should tell you that about two weeks ago my old washing machine gave up the ghost. On a very in-convenient day. Well, I went shopping and picked out a new one. Then they delivered it and I washed the first load. It was OK. So I washed a second load and a shirt came out stained. I washed a third load and a the grass stains did not come out of Jacob's pants. (Before, they have always come out). So now I am a bit petrubed at this new machine. Doesn't seem to be working quite right. Then the next load, I put in a pair of pants that had some muddy sand from the sandbox on them. When they came out, they still had muddy sand on them. So I called the store and they returned the machine and I got to pick out another machine.

This one came and I LOVE it. It washes beautifully. Even the clothes the the other machine stained came clean! Yah! I love my new washing machine and am so thankful for it. You kind of take for grated the things that make life a little easier, like washing machines, dish washers and microwaves until yours doesn't work anymore.

I am so glad I finally got a washing machine that works really good.

Anniversary Weekend

This weekend was John and I's 11th anniversary. John took me downtown and we stayed at the Little America Hotel. I LOVE that hotel. It is great. I especially love the breakfast buffet. We had fun galavanting around downtown Salt Lake. It was a great break from the kids and life, and it was wonderful. John's parents came and stayed with our kids. They had a great time.

So being our anniversary weekend, I thought I would share how I met John.

We were in a University of Utah Singles Ward and I was the ward organist. John and his cousin had just moved into our ward, and he saw me walking (or rather he says "bouncing" up to play the organ. Then my friend Christin saw his cousin and thought he was so cute. So she talked me into making lemon bars (I don't know why she didn't bake them) and take them over to welcome them into the ward. Well the lemon bars didn't turn out they were very runny. But Christine was very persistent that we were going to take these lemon bars over the the Atkinson cousins. So off we went with very runny lemon bars. They ate every last one of them. They were not picky. Well, it seemed as if Christine really liked John's cousin and she kept dragging me with her every time she went over there. She kept setting things up for us all to go and do and John and I became very good friends. I remember telling one of my friends that I could tell John anything and he was a great listener. We used to talk on the phone for hours.

Then one crazy day John decided to ask me out on a real date!! I said yes and then I went home and called my mom and cried for an hour because I knew that I would marry him.

Well, the rest is history. We dated for 1 month(but had been friends for about 3 months) and got married in 4 months.

I love my husband and am so thankful that he chose me.

Washing Machines . . .

What a crappy day this day has been. I woke up feeling like I didn't want to get out of bed and I should have stayed in bed. I got the laundry ready to go in the washer and then on the first load, it stopped working. It wouldn't spin the water out of the clothes. (it has been making strange noises now for a few weeks so we knew it was going to break shortly). So I call John and asked if I could call the fix it man, but he said it would be cheaper to buy a new washer so off I went to the store to buy a new washer. Got there and they had nothing in stock, so I have to wait until Monday for a new washer.

One nice thing though, John was working nearby so he came home for lunch and limped another load through the washer.

But at least the day is almost over and I can try for a new day tomorrow.

Rolls

I finally did it. I have been wanting to make homemade rolls for a long time now, but the thought always scared me. Finally I decided to try it. They worked out very well. My boys were really excited. They loved having fresh baked rolls.

Living Planet Aquarium

Today is our last day off-track. I have mixed feelings this time about my kids going back to school. This off-track time has been very nice. We have done a few things, and my children have been very cooperative and nice to each other. It has been really nice.

Today for our last thing we went to the Living Planet Aquarium. We had discount tickets and we went with my sisters Andrea's two children and my sister Serena. It was fun but I was glad we had discount tickets otherwise it would not have been worth the money.

Grandma and Grandpa

Today we took a trip to Kamas to visit Grandma and Grandpa Atkinson. It started out snowing this morning, so we didn't know if we would go, but we chanced it and it was fine. We got to Grandma's ad she had made sugar cookies so the kids had a great time frosting cookies with Grandma.






Then after that they all settled on the couch with a story from Grandpa.



We had a great time today. We have great Grandparents. They are wonderful. Thanks grandma and grandpa for a great day.

Swimming

Last night we went swimming for Family Home Evening. When I asked the kids if they wanted to go swimming they all looked at me like I was crazy. Abigail said, Don't you think we will freeze? They thought I meant at the outdoor pool. But we went to an indoor pool. The kids had a great time. Wyatt didn't know what to think at first, and then he finally warmed up and loved it.

It was a great time. I didn't take a camera so their are no pictures.

Nice Weather

This week has been so nice. The weather has been so nice. My kids are off-track and they have loved going outside everyday. Then on Friday we went to Classic Skating. They loved it. I forgot the camera so no pictures. It was a lot of fun. They rode their scooters and climbed on the big blow up slides and the jungle. It was a lot of fun. Even Wyatt was able to go on the big blow up slides. They all came home very tired out.

Today I was able to clean the garage and then we went on a bike ride. I have been enjoying this beautiful weather. I just hope it doesn't turn cold again.

Random Things

We have been off-track this week, and so we have just been hanging out and having fun. Here is a picture of Wyatt all dressed up and ready to go ...


Jacob made us peanut butter chocolate chip cookies today pretty much all by himself. He is becoming quite the chef.

Stiches, stiches stiches ugh!

So today was a great day, until about 3:30 p.m. John's parents and his sister came to visit today. We just hung out and talked and got hair cuts and such. Then we went to Jumbo Burger. We no sooner had gotten home, than Wyatt decided to climb on the table (The little monkey that he is) and then he slipped and fell and hit his eye on the metal railing. Instantly his eye poofed up and bleeding. We were pretty sure he needed stiches so we went up to the insta care and as I was walking in a doctor was walking out and she saw Wyatt's eye and walked right back in with us. Then at the check-in counter we had five nurses all looking at him. He was pretty brave. They put his arms in a pillowcase and wrapped him up like a burrito and they stiched him up. He didn't much like getting the shot to deaden him, but everythig else was done. All while the doctor was stiching him he kept saying, Done, done, done. He wanted to be done.

He is doing great now. Running around like the wild child he is.

Christmas Week

One day last week, John, Abigail and Wyatt went outside to build a snowman. Their snowman was so tall, that I thought I would take a picture.



Then John buried Abigail in the snow.



They had a lot of fun playing in the snow.

Christmas 2009

Well, Christmas has come and gone and it was a great time. We started out our Chrimstas celebrations with the Atkinson Christmas Party on the 23rd. We had a good time.




Then on Christmas Eve some of our cousins came to sled with us.


Then that night Andrea and Travis and their family came to our house for Christmas Eve dinner. It was nice. Then we played games.




Then the children all went to bed so quickly and Santa came!! The most exciting time of the year.

Christmas morning was so much fun. Everyone enjoyed what they got. Jacob kept saying, I am going to have to tell Santa thank you. He brought such good stuff.






We have been having a wonderful week, just hanging out and our Dad has been able to only work 1/2 days and play with us as well. It has been a wonderful Christmas.

Piano Recital

This Saturday was our piano recital. It went well. Here is some video of the boys. Here is Jacob playing.
Here is Joshua

Temple Square

Last night we took the kids shopping for Christmas presents for each other. Then we went downtown and ate at Chuck-a-rama and then we went to Temple Square. It was really cool. The kids all really enjoyed it.

Abigail "Star Performer"

Tonight was Abigail's singing performance. SHe did a great job. Here are some pictures and video.

Make a Smilebox greeting

Santa Clause is Coming to Town . . .

Today was our ward's annual Christmas Breakfast and Santa always comes. This year Wyatt could say Santa and new who he was, but when we took him up to Santa he just started to scream. Abigail also was afraid. So Jacob and Joshua were the only ones to sit on his lap.

new Family Picture

So I now have had the worst experience ever taking family pictures. The above picture is the product. The photographer was horrible and didn't know how to work with kids, or glasses (ie., look at Jacob's) and Wyatt was in the worst horrible mood ever!!! All of my kids were super tired and it was a very horrible picture. John has vowed that we will never have another family picture again! (I am sure he will forget and we will get another one next year). So, make sure you get a good photographer when taking your pictures.

Thanksgiving/Relief Society Christmas Party

So last weekend was Thanksgiving and I haven't had a chance to write about it because as soon as we got home, I started working on the Relief Society Christmas Party for our ward.

For Thanksgiving we went up to Kamas to eat with John's parents. It was a lot of fun, and the food was great! We spent the night and then the next morning Vicki, Aunt Pat and I got up at 4:00 a.m. and went over to Park City to the Outlets and Wal-mart for Black Friday. It was fun. I didn't find any great deals though.

Then we left that morning and went to Star Valley to visit my family. It was good food and fun there as well. Then Saturday we came home and got ready for church.

Last night was our Relief Society Christmas Party and we had a dinner and program. It was really neat. Everyone helped and it turned out to be a big success. A big thanks to Bro. Payne who spoke. He did a wonderful job. All the music was wonderful too. It was a really nice night.

Grandpa Bisel

Yesterday was John's Grandpa Bisel's funeral. It was a good funeral. Wyatt was not feeling very well and it was right at his nap time and he was onery!!!! Never before have I ever been so grateful for a nursery. They were a life saver. I put Wyatt in the nursery with Abigail and the funeral was very nice. A big thank you to the ladies in the nursery!!!

Grandpa's funeral was very nice. It was a lot of music and each of his 8 children gave a short tribute. It was very nice. This world is now missing a very good man. But I am sure he is very happy that he has re-united with his dear wife and daughter.

Two down and one to go

Well, we have two weeks down and one to go of off track time. Last week was not the greatest of all weeks. Wyatt started not sleeping at night waking up. Then the fever started and then the goupy nose. I was sure that it was just his teeth coming in because his gums are red and swollen. Then after three nights of no sleep I finally took him to the doctor. He has a double ear infection. Poor guy. Every time he has gotten in new teeth he has gotten and ear infection. Good thing these are the last four teeth to come in.

Halloween!!!

Yah! Halloween came and it went. Everyone is tucked safely in bed so ready to sleep. We started the day at the library where Witch Matilda came and told stories. Then watched movies and then it was finally time to trick or treat. I think this year, I was more excited than the kids. Abigial was a witch, Wyatt was a cow, Joshua was Yoda, and Jacob was Harry Potter. We had fun trick or treating.