Van Natter Feb/Mar 2014

I am having anxiety and concern about the future of our family newsletter. Unless we get some support, we are going to see it slowly creep into oblivion. Thanks to those few who continue to stay connected. A heart-felt invitation to all the rest...Who most likely will never read this...

FEBRUARY

The month started with sick kids, so no preschool that first week. Thrilled when the announcement came from RootsTech that Church members will have FREE memberships to Ancestry.com. I had let my paid membership lapse last December rather than pay another $2-300 after Rob told us this was in the works. Cannot wait! (Looks like it will be 3rd quarter of the year before it happens. Hope I can hold out that long!)

These two cuties make this time of sharing quarters all worth it.

The next week I ended up sick and was down and out for 3 days. Valentines Day came with special things for Addie, and flowers and chocolates for me from John. Just a word here - if you have a Costco membership, their Belgian Chocolates are un-freaking-believable. Honestly the best I've ever had. Tell me this photo doesn't make your mouth water! Thank you, Sweetheart! It took me more than 6 weeks to finish them because they were too exquisite to hurry through!

Our Sunday School class continues to be an amazing experience. These kids are so smart and so cool. But this group, though larger than last year's, is SO much quieter. We have to be more patient waiting for them to respond and discuss, but they eventually do. The week of my birthday I had been given a wrapped gift from a friend at church and it was on the table in our class. Towards the end of class one of the kids asked what it was. I told them I was turning SIXTY that week! We then had the closing prayer. And the second it finished, one of the boys said, "I would have guessed 45." I fell apart laughing!

My birthday was low-key, as I wanted. I had the house to myself all morning, the greatest gift at the moment! Lots of lovely birthday wish emails and messages on Facebook. Some friends dropped by. A lunch is planned as soon as another friend is over pneumonia.[We did get out in March.] Heidi sent me the most gorgeous flower bouquet.(Then came up two days later with lunch and we watched Austenland.) Emily brought lunch when she and the kids returned from Provo, then we all enjoyed Indian food for dinner. Oh, and Addie insisted I have a Tinkerbelle balloon! Thanks to all for the lovely gifts and well-wishes. I cannot believe I am 60. How is that possible?!

Enjoyed the Olympics when I could. Excited when The Voice returned. And Cadbury Eggs have hit the stores. So much to live for. Neil is VERY grumpy most days, so it's a good thing we have chocolate...

MARCH

We had snow off and on all of March, though nothing like the midwest and eastern states got hit with. 

Annette and I met up for lunch to celebrate our birthdays. We tried to go to the Dodo in Sugarhouse but it was jam-packed so we found a Paradise Bakery and went there. And sat for hours gabbing! The best part of our lunches out!

Neil turned 8 months. He doesn't seem to be in much of a hurry to get mobile, which would hopefully help his overall grumpiness. He usually wakes happy, and within 5 minutes he's growling or 'mmmm'ing. Emily got him a walker, which he can use quite well, but even that doesn't hold him back from the grumps. Good thing his smiles are killer, and when he laughs you forget all the other junk! At least he sleeps 12-13 hours straight at night, and takes 2 good naps most days.

Jacob turned 30 on the 16th. He and Emily got out to dinner one night after Neil went to sleep. Did I mention he goes to sleep between 6-7 pm? It was closer to 6 before we changed the clocks!

"Frozen" was released so we had fun watching it when it arrived. Addie loves to sing "Let it Go!"

Heidi chose a lot in Farmington, just minutes from Emily's, and is starting on the process of building a house. She is having her basement finished so she can do preschool there. Their online business is still wildly successful.

Addie decided she needed a tutu so I made her one using a crocheted headband (you can buy them in every store.) It was super easy and she loved twirling in it.

Really surprised to check my camera one day and find photos I knew I hadn't taken... Then I noticed selfies of Addie!! Apparently when she gets up in the morning (usually before Emily or I) and if her mom and I take too long to get up, she has to find her own fun. We thought she just played on the iPad! One photo was really puzzling though: it was a photo of the living room with the clock on the wall clearly visible - it's after midnight (pitch dark outside) which can only mean she was up one night!! There have been a few occasions when she has gotten up in the night thinking it was morning. (Even when dark!) That must have been one of those occasions. Emily remembered she came in to her room around 1 a.m. one night asking to be put back to bed, and the upstairs lights were all on... Who knows what goes on at night?!?! One of Addie's selfies:

The mother of my oldest friend, Annie, passed away on March 26. Martha had been like a 2nd mother to me growing up. My favorite memory is of her singing to us in bed when I'd spend the night. She had a beautiful, rich voice. I thought she was magical when she sang Annie Laurie, and Kathleen Mavourneen to us. Annie is struggling. She isn't a member of the Church so her heart isn't fully settled about where her mom has gone. It's an opportunity for me to bear witness of the things I know to be true, and she has said it has helped her to feel peace. I'm grateful for the chance to minister even though we are separated by distance.

The General Women's Meeting was historical, and such a great and uplifting set of talks. Aren't we so lucky!!??!!
Love to all. Hoping you all will post a little something about what you are up to.

Feb 2014

We kicked off the month by having our own little Super Party. We don’t usually let Adam watch football on Sundays but since one of his favorite teams was playing we made it a “special event” complete with orange and blue kettle corn, orange and blue cupcakes and even cheesecake.  It was sad to watch the Broncos get pounded….

We finally got some a real snow storm and the kids were able to make a tunnel in our little mound of snow. It started to melt the next day and we haven’t had much more then a dusting of snow here and there all month. It has just been really cold. BRRR….

Adam and all the fourth graders put on musical program called “How I Became a pirate.”  They were giving the option to dress like pirates for the morning and evening program so I had Grandmas Linda send over her pirate costume with Grandpa a week before. Adam decide he didn’t want to wear the costume for the morning program and I was under the impression he just didn’t want to were it, so I took it over to Grandma Linda who was at Julie’s to return it. Just moments before we need  to leave for the night program Adam asked me where his pirate costume was...WHAT!?!?! I then told him that I was impress he didn't want to wear it, and told him I returned it Grandma earlier in the day.   Then he said if he didn't dress like pirate he was suppose to dress up "nicely." I found a bandanna in the costume box tied on his head, torn a t-shirt in to a couple of strips and made a belt, rolled up his pants and threw on his snow boots. He looked like pirate! Then we left the house about 6:45 and as we were pulling out he informed me he was suppose to be at the school at 6:45. HAHA. He thought all this information was on the sheet sent home from his music teacher but it wasn't . Anyway the program went a lot better then the morning one and I think everyone had fun. Adam got to dress like pirate!!!

Adam’s HAL project: Build a bridge using only popsicle/craft sticks and Elmer's glue making cable of holding  50 pounds. We were given about 2 weeks to complete the project. Luckily we were smart and realized this was step by step process and allowing time for the glue to dry before moving on the next side or level.

Kids after their Valentines day parties at school. I think they got as much candy as they did on Halloween.

Cute artwork by Sarah and Isaac.

The kids were out of school for few days so we head to the zoo for  few hours. Then picked up Greg and headed to Des Moines for few days.

Love these Monkeys!

Sarah was Grandma’s “helper” in the kitchen and loved wearing matching aprons. Grandpa and Greg took Adam to a coin store and then the bank. Adam and Isaac are starting to get into coin collecting just like their Dad. 

We got to be there for Mom’s amazing “tasting” party. She really outdid herself this time. YUMMY

This was Sarah’s first “babysitting” job. To keep baby Brayden happy. Isaac helped a little too.

MORE FUN:

Isaac favorite thing to play was bakery.

Sarah is Great Grandma Cottrell’s dress.

Isaac “stamping” and Adam “burning” leather.

 

Carmel popcorn treat.

Reading with Grandpa.

Making a pillow.

We were trying to come up with something to the morning before we left and ended up setting up the tent. Complete with a fake fire and fake smore’s. The kids even set up a river with rocks and went “fishing”

It finally warmed up enough to go play outside.

Adam’s Blue and Gold Banquet. The theme was the Olympics each den made decorations and center pieces to represent  different countries. For dinner we had pizza (Italy), lo main noodles and egg rolls (China), and chips and salsa (Mexico). For dessert we had each boy/family bring a cake. Adam did the Olympic rings made out of cupcakes.

 

Adam’s finished bridge project. It held up to 121 pounds before he got nervous and didn’t want it to break.

 

After the bridge project it was time to move on and start getting ready for the pinewood derby. We’ll see how it does on March 8.