Happy Memorial Day

We enjoyed a beautiful, hot Memorial Day. We finished planting our garden and squash/pumpkin patches this morning. Matt put up a fence around the garden. Now he needs to make an entrance because right now the rabbits AND the rest of us cannot get into the garden. Most people would enjoy the break from weeding, but I like weeding and I want to stay on top of it this year. I also want to make sure our tomato plants stay inside the cages and don't grow out the sides like they did last year.

We went to the Prospect parade and watched Zoe as she marched by playing her flute.



We went over to my parents' house to eat, relax, and play. Zoe, Emily, my Mom, my Dad, and I played a fun game of Phase 10. Zoe came from behind and won.

We went to the Bucksport parade to watch Zoe again. Now we are home, wishing our air conditioner was hooked up because we are roasting! We have gone from cold, wet Spring weather straight to hot Summer weather. I would much rather have the hot weather, so I'm not going to complain. Stating that we are roasting is just a fact.

Eat Your Own Food

Usually we are wondering when the deer are going to get into our garden, but this year we are dealing with...

We have a wild rabbit family living under the trailer and Matt was just saying yesterday that he needed to either A) Put up a fence around the garden or B) Say goodbye to the rabbits. We all want plan A, but it will have to happen real soon because we caught one of the bunnies nibbling today at the garden and my Mother's Day flowers.

Planting Seeds

Corn




Cucumbers




Carrots




Matt bought a bunch of apple trees and planted them about a month ago. Here is one of them.


We will add tomatoes and lettuce to the garden on Monday. Hopefully, we'll also complete our pumpkin and squash patches as well.

Brewer Library

Emily has been waiting to read book 5 in the Percy Jackson series, "The Last Olympian". None of the libraries we have checked have had the book or the book has been checked out. I have never been to the Brewer library, so I looked on their website to see if they had the book, which they did and it wasn't checked out! Kate, Noah, and I went there on Friday to get Emily's book and some other books as well. It cost me $25, which was a bit funny since Emily almost bought the book the previous night at a book fair, but I talked her out of it telling her she could get it for FREE at the library. However, my $25 will allow us to read many, many books for the next year.

Kate & Noah had a great time at the library. They have a super fun children's room.

The kids have been watching several dinosaur cartoons lately, so the toy dinosaurs were a big hit with Noah & Kate.

Library patrons get to enjoy the little playground at the library. Bonus! It was almost a bit too sunny and hot to play outside, but that didn't stop the kids.



The "hungry hippo" distinguishes this playground from all the others.


Emily is now enjoying her book and all of us have a new library to enjoy. :-)

Thinking of Grandma & Grandpa

Grandma & Grandpa in Utah have been on the minds of Kate & Noah the past few days. They heard an airplane flying by the other day and Noah shouted, "Grandma & Grandpa are coming!" In September, that will be true. :-)

Yesterday, Kate was expressing her hate for our Yukon and was longing for the white minivan that we drove around in Utah. That white minivan had a door that opened and closed on its own!

Kate was also longing for the bed at Grandma & Grandpa's house. She also talked about the awesome pillow on that bed. It glowed!

Steve & Janet...we all think of you often and miss you!

A Battle Within

Part of me is regretting my decision to stop coaching softball after this season. Whenever I think twice about my decision, though, I come across a quote like this..."These wise mothers who know are selective about their own activities and involvement to conserve their limited strength in order to maximize their influence where it matters most." (quoted from "Mothers Who Know" by Julie B. Beck). The desire to continue coaching is always the strongest after a game. Especially after a game like tonight when we win 17-16. Emily slid into home to score the winning run (for the second time this season). Go Emily! It is painful for me to think about softball going on next season without me coaching. I'm sure by next season, I will be over the feeling of loss and more excited to be able to help out where needed or sit back and enjoy the game, but for right now, the battle within me is real and strong.

More Baptism Pictures

Kids' Camera

I found my old camera after Matt bought me a new camera, just like I knew I would. It was in the back of the Yukon. The kids have not been allowed to touch my new camera, but they are free to use the old camera. Here are a few cute pictures that they have taken.


Zach playing on his Nintendo DS. The Nintendos get played the most in the car and at bedtime.

Wrong John

After hanging up the phone this morning...
Noah: "Who was that?"
Me: "Jon" (My assistant coach)
Noah: "John Bytheway?"

I had to laugh. We listen to and watch a lot of John Bytheway around here!

My New Hero

I love hearing stories about people who choose the gospel over sports. I love sports. Having my kids super involved in sports would be a priority if the gospel wasn't already the priority. I get caught up in sports very easily, so these examples remind me to choose the right and to stay focused on what truly matters in the eternal scheme of things.

Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared this story in his latest conference talk.

"Those who follow the game of rugby know that the New Zealand All Blacks, a name given because of the color of their uniform, is the most celebrated rugby team ever. To be selected for the All Blacks in New Zealand would be comparable to playing for a football Super Bowl team or a World Cup soccer team.

In 1961, at age 18 and holding the Aaronic Priesthood, Sidney Going was becoming a star in New Zealand rugby. Because of his remarkable abilities, many thought he would be chosen the very next year for the national All Blacks rugby team.

At age 19, in this critical moment of his ascending rugby career, Sid declared that he would forgo rugby to serve a mission. Some called him crazy. Others called him foolish. They protested that his opportunity in rugby might never come again.

For Sid it was not what he was leaving behind—it was the opportunity and responsibility ahead. He had a priesthood duty to offer two years of his life to declare the reality of the Lord Jesus Christ and His restored gospel. Nothing—not even a chance to play on the national team, with all the acclaim it would bring—would deter him from that duty.

He was called by a prophet of God to serve in the Western Canadian Mission. Forty-eight years ago this month, 19-year-old Elder Sidney Going left New Zealand to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

A mission instead of a place on the New Zealand All Blacks team? Sid responded, “The blessing of [bringing others] into the gospel far outweighs anything [you] will ever sacrifice.”

You’re probably wondering what happened to Sid Going following his mission. Most important: an eternal marriage to his sweetheart, Colleen; five noble children; and a generation of grandchildren. He has lived his life trusting in his Father in Heaven, keeping the commandments, and serving others.

And rugby? After his mission Sid Going became one of the greatest halfbacks in All Blacks history, playing for 11 seasons and serving for many years as captain of the team.

How good was Sid Going? He was so good that training and game schedules were changed because he would not play on Sunday. Sid was so good the Queen of England acknowledged his contribution to rugby. He was so good a book was written about him titled Super Sid.

What if those honors had not come to Sid after his mission? One of the great miracles of missionary service in this Church is that Sid Going and thousands just like him have not asked, “What will I get from my mission?” but rather, “What can I give?”

I love how Sidney chose not to play on Sunday. He was great at rugby and he loved the sport, but it was not his priority. Living the gospel was his priority.

I will think of Sidney as our kids get older and their sports get more competitive, time consuming, and require more of a commitment. I want to choose and I want my children to choose to keep the Sabbath Day Holy. I want us to choose to attend testimony building activities over sporting events. My priority is for our children to become truly converted to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ while they are home with me. That is my focus.

Thank you Sidney Going for your great example.

A Day In The Car

School, Mandatory training for Matt, Children's Museum, Softball Practice, Zach's 1st playdate at Harry's house after school, Zoe's Young Women's Activity, and dinner at McDonald's. That was our day.

Kate & Noah had fun decorating their sticky pads (not sure what they are really called, but you peel a piece of paper off the top and it is all sticky...perfect for easy, non-messy fun!).

Birthday Party

More presents!



We bought a brownie cake at Walmart last Saturday for Mother's Day and Eleanor liked it so much that she wanted one for her birthday. The cake didn't come into mind until Saturday morning and I feared that it would be too late to get Eleanor what she wanted. I called Walmart hoping that they would have a brownie cake made with no writing on it and they did! PHEW! All of the kids thought it tasted better than the Mother's Day cake because it had different frosting on it. It was a perfect ending to a very special day.



I took pictures of Eleanor's baptism towels this morning.



Eleanor wanted time this morning to play on her new Nintendo DS games, so she set her alarm for 4:45am. Zoe, Emily, and Eleanor were up before I got up at 5am.

Birthday & Baptism

Eleanor turned 8 today! She woke up excited to celebrate her birthday and to be baptized after church. She opened her package from Grandma & Grandpa first thing in the morning. I had hid her package, so she was surprised to see how big it was. She wondered what was inside! Here she is waiting, waiting, waiting to open her package.

When she did get to open her package, she unwrapped a BEAUTIFUL dress to wear after her baptism.


She also got cute shoes to match. :-)

Eleanor made this fancy headband on Emily's birthday with the ribbon from Emily's party. She has been waiting to wear it ever since.

Eleanor likes to help her Grammie out in the library at church. Notice the new hairstyle. Zoe loves to do her sisters' hair, so she convinced Eleanor to let her do Eleanor's hair using Eleanor's new barrettes.

Jerry & Judy came to visit for Eleanor's baptism!

The children sang Happy Birthday to Eleanor in Primary and she received a birthday pencil. After church, it was time to get ready for the baptism!

Eleanor invited Anna, a friend from school, to her baptism. Anna came with her sisters, Daisy, Claire, and Emma, and her Dad. We had a finger food potluck after church, so Eleanor was able to sit down with Anna and get something to eat.

Emily & Daisy are good friends as well.

Zoe always has Morgan to hang out with at church. Poor Morgan is stuck in Primary until August. She is so ready to be in Young Women's with Zoe!

I was able to get a picture of Eleanor & Anna, and a picture of Eleanor's cake from Judy before my camera battery died. Judy took some pictures of our family with her camera, so I will post those pictures when I get them.



I have pictures from Eleanor's party, but I will post them tomorrow.