Musings of a Seven-year-old Mind

Tonight Sarah asked me to lay down with her as she went to sleep. She seemed a bit troubled, so I left the laundry and came to her room. As I lay there she told me what was on her mind.

Sarah: "Mom, when old people die, do they die forever?"

Mom: "Nope, their body goes into the ground, but their Spirit goes up to heaven. But when Jesus comes again, then their spirit will be back with their body again."

Sarah: "Mom, will my dead butterfly that I just threw away be back with his body too."

Mom: "Well, I think that Heavenly Father and Jesus know how much you love your butterflies, so maybe he will be resurrected right onto your finger"

Sarah: "Mom, what about the one today that died while trying to make it out of his cacoon? How will Jesus fix that?"

Mom: "oh Sarah, I am sure that Jesus knows how to fix that, he did create the butterfly you know."

Sarah: "Mom, maybe you should wake up dad and ask him."

Mom: "Don't you believe me?"

Sarah: "Well........"

Just a glimpse of things that run constantly through Sarah's mind. Just thought you might want to know.

Sunday Bulletin

I have decided start a new tradition each Sunday night. I am kinda thinking of it as a chance to get into the heads of the kiddos and see what is on their mind. But after asking them these questions I see that there really isn't too much going on in their heads....he he. Actually, each answer shows a little bit of their personality. It is fun. And if you were wondering why I am so exact about their ages, well that is for my records when they get older and I need to embarrass them in front of their dates!

Here are the questions for this weeks bulliten.... 1. What did you do this week? 2. what did you learn this week 3. What was the best thing about the week.
Cassidy Age: 11 years, 4 months old
1. I went swimming alot and I went to the movies and I went to Grandma's and Grandpa's house and I got to play with my friend Rebecca and my new friend Stella.
2. To not forget Heavenly Father's blessings.
3. I got to play with my two new friends!

Lund Age: 9 years, 11 months old
1. I saw Alice in Wonderland, I met a new friend, I went to the movies, and I met our new Ward.
2. I learned that fudderwakken' is a dance. (Alice in Wonderland)
3. I saw and got to play with kids in the new ward.

Sarah Age: 7 years, 1 month old
1. We went to our friends house and went swimming.
2. I learned that the Holy Ghost is a Spirit, he is not a Ghost, he is a Spirit.
3. That we went night swimming.

Will Age: 4 years, 4 months old
1. um... I don't know.
2. I learned swimming and about the scary camera at the pool. (?) I don't want to learn anything.
3. My favorite thing is not going to the store. That is my favorite thing.

Watch out, I have a camera!!!!!!

Morgan told me the other day that our video camera has a setting for taking pictures--- so now I am back in the game again!!
First, we had some sad news this weekend. Ruth and Jeremy have an adorable two-year-old who was injured at their family reunion. He broke his femur, which is the large bone in your thigh. And although it looks like a full body cast, it is actually built this way so that he won't walk or try to use his legs. Wowzers, that is a huge cast!!! And his wonderful mother is due in about six weeks, and that is how long he will be in this cast. I can't quite figure out how she is going to carry him around with a very pregnant tummy. Karver, we love you!!!
Today was Fast Sunday in our church and we usually pick something or someone to fast for and Cassidy asked us last night before family prayer if we could fast for little Karver. So, that is what we did. Thanks Cassidy for teaching us an important lession.
They had him heavily sedated while they set his bone.

Here we are today in front of our new ward. The only bummer is that is starts at 8:30am. Oh well, the church is still true that early!

And here are a few pictures off center.... not sure why.......

Lund before church

And our Cass

The next pictures are showing the recent additions we have..... 7 new butterflies! Sarah got a butterfly enclosure for her birthday. Then we sent away for the butterfly larva and now we finally have the final product...beautiful butterflies.

Sarah has them trained to go on her hand...

All of Sarah's followers!

Cassidy also enjoys the closeness of the butterflies. They have become quite a hit around here.

Doesn't Sarah look like a cute little page boy with this hat on. I love it!!! Plus, she makes me feel less lonely as I wear my hats everyday. Thanks Sarah!

Here she is with the butterfly larva... (caterpillers?)

Radiation and the Death of the Doughboy!

Today was my first "official" day of radiation treatment. It was very anticlimactic at best! My first chemo session I stopped breathing, so I thought maybe I could somehow top that. Luckily, it was very boring! It was basically like getting an x-ray. I had always pictured a weird laser beam or something. A "Beam me up Scotty" type of experience. And there were no microwaves involved at all. So there go all my weird expectations. Instead, I hardly even get to read a book in the waiting room before the ceiling calls out my name from the PA system. Today there were two Mrs. Johnson's in the waiting room and so when the speaker said "Ms. Johnson, you can come on back." I looked up and said, "Me?" and the ceiling responded, "Yes, you, now get back here!" It was quite humorous and I had to explain to the Radiation techs that there were actually two Mrs. Johnson's out there. It is just simply weird when the ceiling talks to you. I mean I have heard of divine intervention, but..............

O.K. now for the good stuff!!! My in laws sent this to me over a month ago in an e-mail and I have been chuckling ever since, so I am going to pass along the good times. Just click on this link below to see what I mean!

http://www.homeschooloasis.com/storehs_obituary_of_pillsbury.htm

p.s. Tomorrow is National Doughnut Day so find your nearest doughnut shop and get a free doughnut.

p.p.s. I am not allowed to wear deodorant while I am doing radiation therapy, so instead they told me to wear corn starch on my pits. Guess what? It doesn't work, AND I smell like a bakery, so if you smell snickerdoodles walking by, it is just me!

p.p.p.s. I WISH I smelled like snickerdoodles!!!

The Good Ole' Days and the new memories as well!

This past weekend Morgan and I had A LOT of fun!!! Some wonderful people we graduated with way back when had a get together. In the morning, we met at a park and all the men played flag football, while all of the women charted out the route to the nearest hospital and checked our insurance cards to see if they were current! Luckily, no one was seriously injured, unless you consider some serious soreness an injury! Most of these guys were football players in high school together so it was heaps of fun! I really, really, really wish my camera was working!!! have I mentioned that lately at all.....hummmm..!
Then we met the Hulse family from Bagdad at the Chucky Cheese and had a grand ole' time there. A funny thing happened as we drove to the Chucky Cheese. We had swapped Caroline Hulse and Cassidy and we were going to swap them back after lunch. Caroline, who is truly the sweetest little girl ever, said to the other kids while we were driving. "I imagine that Chucky Cheese has lots of fun things to do and games to play and it is wonderful. At least when I dream about it, that is how it looks! I dream about it a lot!" Hopefully, it met all her dream requirements. She did look like she was really enjoying herself while we were there.
After that we had a break and then my wonderful parents came over and watched the kids while Morgan and I went on the first date we have been on in a very long while.
Alisha Newman, otherwise known as my brilliant older sister, set up the dinner and it was TREMENDOUS! We ate at Tia Rosa's, and pushed all our tables together and talked until they closed down the restaurant. Wahoo, it was so much fun and I really, really like the gang that was gathered there. Some really great people! And everyone is at different stages in their lives, some are single moms trying to make it by, others are done with school and have great jobs and still others have been in the military for years. Some are returning to school after years of "floating", and some are just single still looking for the "right one". Everyone had a different story, but everyone had a tremendous time!!! I can't wait for the next gathering!!!
Here is the dinner group gathered together when we were about to leave. (My dad let me borrow his camera to quell my withdrawals.)

Again, here is everybody. I am in the back row. My hubby had the "sleeper hold" on me!!

This was a happy moment for me!!! I have sworn off of treats in the home, but I allow myself to eat a treat when I eat out. This was tremendous, but very big. Morgan had to help me finish it off. Dang, it is making me crave it just by looking at it.... I had better scroll down now!

these two crazy cats are Mike Richardson and his new, adorable wife, Kelly. When I was in high school, Mike Richardson (Lurch), used to pick me up when I was walking to Seminary. But then again, he picked everyone up! In fact, I think he is the only one who ever picked up my dad and mom. he he

These two were such a hoot together. Morgan and Lurch were great friends in High School and it was so hilarious to see them together again. The serape (spelling?) in his hand was a decoration at the restaurant, but they wanted Morgan to hold it because he used to wear one around school all the time. I don't remember it being pink though!!!

Just more of Mike and Morgan hashing out old stories!!!

And of course, Lurch picked him up. This doesn't surprise me in the least!

Here we all are mingling and getting to know each other. We really did have a blast and some simply hysterical stories were shared!!!!

A memorable Memorial Day in picture words..

Due to the fact that my handy dandy camera is not able to recharge right now, picture stories will have to suffice.

So, here is our wonderful Memorial Day in a nutshell. We started up by reinvigorating an old tradition from Morgan's family. We walked to breakfast first thing in the morning. The last time we did this we were living in Pocatello, Idaho, so it has been a while. We chose Carl's Jr. and ordered yummy choices such as French Toast sticks and Crescent sandwhiches. So, just picture all the kids with syrup dripping off their chins! And I figured out why the tradition is to walk to breakfast----- You really need a walk after all that grease!!!

Then we set off to get our shopping done at Walmart. I don't remember the workers there looking like this, but maybe they did look this way after my crazy kids left.......

Then, we headed over to Morgan's sister's house to check on our lab Brody. He didn't look quite like this, but he was pretty excited to see us. And the Garino's have been so great to him! They said they are a dog boarding house lately since two extra dogs are there right now.
Here is a dipiction of our happy dog!!!

Then we got really brave, and ventured to Hamilton High School to swim in their pool. They have an amazing pool, but it seems like everyone in the Valley figured out that secret about the same time we did. It was cheap, but it was packed to capacity and it was very hard to keep track of our little ones. We only lasted about an hour until our eyes were fried from too much searching. The kids really, really loved the slides, diving boards and lazy river. I was really, really scared to even think of how many germs were floating by us.......aaaaahhhhhh germs get away!!!

We finished off the day with a fun Family Home Evening playing this wonderful game!!! Somehow, Will beat us all!!! Sarah was in charge of treats and picked out some great cookies at the store after much thought.

All in all, it was a wonderful holiday and today we were back to real life with Morgan back at work at me starting radiation. Thanks mom for babysitting!!!

The Noise Guy and Night Swimming

Where has time gone??? We moved to the Valley a week and a half ago and it has just flown by! We have been very busy swimming once or twice a day, going to doctors appointments with my radiologist and trying to find relatively cheap things for the kids to do around these parts.
I was thoroughly bummed when my camera ran out of batteries this week and the special charger I have for it is packed away..... ahhh man!!! So I have missed quite a few photo opportunities!!! Words will have to suffice for some events.. but before it died, I did get a few pictures taken...

Something we enjoy here at the apartment complex we are in is the "Night swimming" we do most of the time. Starting this Tuesday, I will have to stay out of the sun because of radiation treatments, so night swimming will have to be when we do all our swimming.

Last summer I couldn't get Will to let go of me in the water. This year, he is much more confident with his life jacket on.

The other night when we went night swimming we brought a bunch of glow sticks, like the one Cassidy is wearing as a necklace. It was so fun to see them glowing in the water. Here you see the kids getting ready to jump for a ball that Morgan was throwing to them.

We have also joined the library summer reading program. The kids are reading left and right to try to earn prizes. Lund always checks out books about birds, he is truly fascinated by them.

Will really likes the prizes much better than the books, but he does like the older kids practicing their reading on him.

He is kind of a hard one to keep reigned in at the library. Sarah, on the other hand, would love to sit there and read for hours.

Like I just mentioned, Sarah has been reading like a maniac! I am soooo proud of her reading skills and sooo impressed that she can even read the scriptures at night with the family. She is amazing!! And her Kindergarten teacher needs some thanks for this milestone as well. Thanks Ms. Jones!!

We also went to the library to see "The Noise Guy". It was the greatest performance ever!!! This guy, who looks so unassuming, can make a million different noises with his mouth and he had the kids very, very entertained. From the youngest babies in the room, all the way up to the moms. So, of course, as we were leaving I bought his CDs and book and we have thoroughly enjoyed them.

Here is Will trying out a few noises of his own!

Here are all four kids intently listening!