Life around here is just the same ol', same ol'.  Last Saturday we tried to have a birthday party for my mom, but she called at the last minute to cancel 'cuz she was sick.  So we had turkey dinner and birthday cake without the birthday girl.  I did send a plate of food home with my dad (complete with rolls) for her.

Tuesday night was our Young Women's New Beginnings night.  It went really well.  Big sister turns 12 this year (gah!), so she got to go.  She was thrilled to get to be there with her mom and dad.  Big thanks to Grandpa for watching the other 3.  They were even all in bed sleeping when we got home, and he even played uno with them!  Anyway.  This year's scripture/theme for the youth is Pressing forward with a steadfastness in Christ.  We decided to go with a Wizard of Oz theme, 'cuz we could talk about following the yellow brick road/pressing forward.  And it was an idea we got off of pinterest, truth be told.  The week before, we had all the girls make the decorations, and then Tuesday afternoon all the YW leaders helped put everything up.  We had tissue paper poppies, paper plates that we painted and turned into lollipops for the lollipop guild, an emerald city (a vinyl cutout of the Salt Lake temple on metallic green poster), a paper waterfall rainbow, and the house (drawn on big white paper) that landed on the witch complete with striped tights and red slippers sticking out.  Then we laid out yellow butcher paper all along the aisle, and the girls each put a personal progress goal on a yellow piece of paper so we could complete our yellow brick road on the wall.  Each leader was a different character, and guess who got to be the munchkin.  You can stop laughing now.  ;)  I think I did a pretty good job on my costume.  Anyway, most of the leaders did minute-to-win-it games in a classroom and we had everyone rotate through.  Each game was supposed to emphasize a different part of the scripture.  When the YW president played a song on her bluetooth speaker, everyone was supposed to rotate.  The song was the munchkins singing follow the yellow brick road.  The first time she played it nobody really rotated.  So it was decided that the munchkin should carry the speaker and skip up and down the yellow butcherpaper/yellow brick road so that people would actually rotate.  I figured if I'm going to look ridiculous I should embrace it, so I skipped like a professional.  haha.  After the rotations, the President talked about making it to the emerald city/temple, using President Uchtdorf's talk Defying Gravity, and then the bishop/great oz got up and wrapped it up.  It was a really fun night.  They introduced all the beehives that are coming in this year, and talked a little bit about them.  Big sister had told them that her favorite book was The Work and the Glory.  Everyone thought it was rather amazing that she's not only read some of that series, but likes it that much, too.  That's my girl.  :)

 The lollipop guild

 crepe paper tornado

 tissue paper poppies

 rainbow waterfall effect

 My cricut is useful in cutting letters out - I thought this turned out cute.

 the yellow brick road

 The Emerald City

The house and the witch

The munchkin

Thursday was Scooby's 30th birthday, so she and I went to lunch at Zupa's.  Yummy Yummy!  That night I made a brief appearance at her birthday party, but couldn't stay long 'cuz husband was working and I had to get back to put the kids to bed.  Friday night I dropped the younger 3 kiddos off at husbands parents house, and big sister and I went and bought some snacks andstuff, 'cuz on Saturday morning we were heading up to help Cedie move.  Saturday morning we got up bright and early and were in the car by 7am.  We listened to some John Bytheway talks on the way up, which were really good.  When we got there, Husband and I just started pulling the little bit she hadn't been able to pack down from shelves and putting it in boxes.  I packed her fridge and freezer next, and Big sister cleaned the bathroom and took care of Cedie's baby girl.  It didn't take long for the people who showed up from their ward and husband to get everything loaded up, and then husband and I cleaned out her fridge and the rest of her kitchen and floors, while Court's Aunt helped vacuum.  Actually, Husband helped me clean and then spent the rest of the time playing with/growling at Allie.  She started growling back.  It was pretty cute.  Anyway.  So the old place is all cleaned up, and she can just focus on getting her new place together.  And then we headed home!  We listened to more John Bytheway on the way home, which helped me stay awake since I drove there and back.  While we were gone, the kiddos had a blast at Grandmas.  She stayed up late with them and watched a movie, and made them french toast and sausage for breakfast.  Then they went to the new Riverton park and played on all 3 playgrounds.  Then they came back to grandma's house and she made them pigs-in-a-blanket for lunch.  They were all thrilled.  And exhausted, lol!  We brought them home and they vegged out for a bit watching old bugs bunny reruns.  They got a second wind and they all went out to ride bikes.  Husband has been helping Sam and Isaac ride without training wheels and they're both doing great!  Aaron was feeling better, so we went on our weekly date night for some yummy Mexican food and to Ikea to get some stuff for our bathroom.  I love our date nights. Big sister watched the kids at home for us and they all went to bed early and zonked out fast.  And stayed that way!  3 cheers for Grandma!