Family in Town

We were happy to have family in town to support Rhys in his choice to be baptized. It had been a year since I saw Mom because of Dad's cancer, which he recently decided to stop chemo for, and is still clear of cancer on scans.

We hit Hypnotic Donuts and White Rock Lake one morning and downtown Dallas another.

Evil Elvis: PB, bacon, banana, and Some pistachio type donuts.

Blackmail!

My mom gave my kids a picture of my disaster of a room when I was a teen! I'm sure she got a lot of joy out of doing that as I know my kids sure did. Now I just tell them that keeping tidy can be learned and I am proof, though not perfect.

Rhys is Baptized!

Eight is great! Great because this boy has been preparing and waiting for the time when he would be old enough to be baptized. He chose to make covenants to follow his Savior, Jesus Christ. We were happy to see so many of our friends and our family join us for this special day.

Neal was worthy to baptize Rhys and several of our family and friends were there to use their priesthood in the ordinances: Chris Huff, John Goode, Chad Knudsen, Carter Garvin, as well as Bishop Ed Wilson. Grandma helped with an opening prayer, and music was lead by Barbara Knudsen. Cherri Hardcastle sang Rhys' favorite hymn (and jokingly one of his mother's least favorites) Love at Home and Our Savior's Love, while he and his dad changed back into dry clothes..which I will get to in just a bit. His teacher, Lesli Huntzinger, and Chad Knudsen provided talks on baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Sophie offered the closing prayer.

Here's a memory-maker! The day before the baptism, Grandma took Rhys' dress shirt out of the pile of things to go to the baptism to spray and hang it to decrease the wrinkles (I don't iron). The fun part is when your sweet husband is getting himself and his son dressed in dried clothes and a key garment is missing from Rhys' pile.

Neal was texting me but my phone was on silent for the sacred occasion and in my purse. Kira got the text and alerted me. I stepped out and motioned to bishop to join us as we tried to figure out how to act. Neal was prepared to drive home (5 minutes total) and retrieve the shirt we'd forgot to repack. We looked through the baptism suits closet and found a few white shirts-one of which was slightly less large than the other men's shirts and decided on that.

As I reentered and as the musical number was coming to an end, I sheepishly advised our friends and family to always bring a dry shirt when their children are getting baptized and got a good laugh. He was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ and given the gift of the Holy Ghost in a shirt enveloping him and a classy tie that he was gifted by Aunt Kira.

A luncheon followed afterwards for family and friends who had traveled, with a cake, sandwiches, and chips that Rhys picked out himself for the event.

Later in the day, he pulled me to the side and said he was going to be mean to Sophie but decided not to because he was just made clean and didn't want to mess it up. I told him he was doing a good job already listening to the Holy Ghost but that the sacrament would be there on Sunday to help him renew his covenants whenever a mess up happened.

Personal touch: Legos CTR (choose the right)

Knudsens, McCreas, Wilsons (both families), Kenworthys (both families), Goodes, Adams, Oma and Opa, Grandma, Garvins, Huffs, Mrs. Lovell, Mrs. Steele, Cherri, Herrings, Huntzingers, Paramore, Turleys, Aunt Kira, Mansells

He chose the flavor of his chocolate cake and the icing colors.

End of the School Year

Left to right: Ansley, Super Sophie, Mrs. Wood, Cecelia aka CiCi

The most lovable teacher, Mrs. Lovell, and Rhys

Sophie and Neal Off to Austin

Neal could not be at Rhys' award ceremony because he was being an awesome dad and already committed to chaperone a very long field trip with Sophie to our state's capitol, Austin! They stopped and visited the Texas Rangers Museum on the way and in Austin toured the capitol building. Sophie loved being in a great group of kids and with her dad.

Special Recognition for Rhys

We were invited to attend a special end of the year award ceremony because Rhys was awarded the High Five! What does that mean you may ask, as I know I did. He was recognized for working hard this year and trying to do his best and that he had become a leader in his class.

He literally ran up to his teacher when he heard HIS named announced. Hugged Mrs. Lovell big and tight and payed the same respects to the principal. So happy for him!

Birthday Boy!

Rhys turned 8! We celebrated with presents and homemade cookie ice cream sandwiches. His present from us was combined with Sophie's as well. Our family adopted kittens! They'd been asking off and on for years but they showed they could be responsible with feeding/watering our long time cat and change the litter when asked so we planned to get kittens.

He is sweet and defiant, thoughtful and rude, and quiet and a goofball often all within the same day! We love him so very much!

So Much Drama

A few months ago Sophie decided to join the drama club and with a bit of encouragement from mom and dad decided to try out for a speaking/singing part rather than serve solely on the crew. She wanted to be one of the Tweedles and got the part of Tweedledee Dum and was paired with her friend from church and class, Ainsley, as Tweedledee Dee.

After months of practices and preparation, Mrs. Lang presented Alice in Wonderland, Jr.! We were happy to have Oma and Opa join us as well as classmates and neighborhood friends. They all did great and Sophie was truly a wonderful actress with lots of fun expression and good volume and when she wasn't in the spotlight, she didn't stop acting. She sang well too! So proud of her. You could tell she was having a lot of fun!

Lots of compliments and excitement for her and her fellow classmates.

Ms. Morrison, Mrs. Curry and cast members

Sophie & Mrs. Lang

Mother's Day

The Friday night before Mother's Day was Father/Son's Camp Out a.k.a Priesthood Commemoration. Neal and Rhys headed out after school let out to get BBQ and set up camp which wasn't hard since they were sleeping in hammocks. They enjoyed playing with friends and discovered a tarantula which Rhys claims he touched before he figured out that it was a tarantula and not just dirt and forest debris. It was held by some boys. They had brownies and ice cream for dinner and slept uncomfortably through the night. French toast and breakfast burritos were served they packed up and instead of going taking a little father/son trip to swim in a local lake, Rhys said he was good and was ready for home.

Sophie and I shopped for duct tape so she could create more things from trash and made one of Sophie's favorites, taco soup, for dinner. We finally watched the 2nd Harry Potter movie after finishing the book some time ago. This while eating ice cream.  Saturday we took off for an 8 mile bike ride to 3 local parks and returned home to watch the movie all over again. We finished our fun by crating slime but it turned out to be a complete fail, leaving us with a rigid jello type substance.

Not gooey or slimy "slime"

Neal and I went on a date to see Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and had a great time.

On Mother's Day I enjoyed lemon poppy seed pancakes and gifts from my favorite people. Rhys gave me a word art collage of kind words describing me and built the word LOVE with Legos accompanied by a myriad of Lego mini figures to salute me. Sophie had her mecanical bird toys sing a song for me. They gave me a T-shirt that I bought for myself earlier in the week  :-)  and Neal was brilliant and got me a card and chocolate.Church was great with the bishopric providing the sisters with roses and a buffet of sweets. We watched Disney's Moana for the first time after church. Great day!

Barksdale Air Show

In all my years in CA I never attended an Air Show. Never in TX either. Yep, this past weekend we had to travel all the way to Louisiana to see "Doc", the only other B-29 besides Opa's "Fifi".  Doc sure was shiny. Great to see all the planes, let the kids climb aboard military helicopters and cargo planes, tour the cockpit, and watch the crazy moves during the air show. Had lunch under the shade of airplane wings. Thanks to Opa for the photos!

The highlight for Rhys

That dot in the window is Sophie

Emily's Place Delivery

Our family issued a St. Patrick's Day challenge to the men in our area to show how lucky they felt to have the women they do have in their lives by helping out some women that were down on their luck.  Families donated feminine hygiene products and other items on the immediate needs list for Emily's Place a local transitional housing program for families that are rebuilding their lives after experiencing domestic violence.

Emily's place is not a shelter but housing and a program to help families get back on their feet, get counseling and jobs, and practice independence while building their credit. They help up to 8 families at a time.

We were happy to learn of this organization so close to home and do a little something to help resources go to more important needs and growth. Thanks for all who participated.

Alma 37:6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

Sophie is Falcon of the Month!

Honestly, Sophie totally owned this year! She blossomed academically and emotionally!