Cliff's Amusement Park

We got tickets to Cliff's Amusement Park for Christmas. They expired at the end of May, so we figured we better get there before school got out for the summer. We took the kids out of school one day and spent 5 and a half hours at the park (it had just opened so it wasn't yet opened for extended hours). I got there and noticed bunches of school buses and school groups lined up out front - I didn't think about all the end of the year field trips that would be happening. It actually wasn't too bad. Some of the bigger rides had long lines but most lines were quick. Plus we spent a bunch of time in the little kid area which was totally empty. The kids had a blast - going from ride to ride. Megan went on some of the real twisting rides and totally loved them. There wasn't one ride that any of the kids were too scared to go on (I mean this isn't anything close to a Magic Mountain or anything but it still has some pretty fun and fast carnival type rides). Austin could ride all of the little kiddie rides and loved those. Honestly the only one who didn't go on hardly anything was me...because I was due later that week. I went on the Carousel one time. Actually I didn't mind at all - it was kind of fun to let the kids take the lead and just follow them wherever they wanted to go. It was a fun end of the school year family trip. It did make Sean and I decide that it's about time to take Caelan and Ben to Magic Mountain for some serious roller coasters....and to take everyone else to Disneyland. I think we might try to make the trip to CA in the Fall sometime.

Ben's Baptism

The Baptism of Kenneth Benjamin Dick Pianist: Charity Brooks (aunt) Chorister: Tera Dick Conducting: Bishop Foutz Opening Song: If the Savior Stood Beside Me Opening Prayer: Rick Sorensen (Grandpa) Talk on Baptism: Mike Dick (Grandpa) Musical Number: "When I am Baptized" sung by Caelan and Megan Dick Baptism of Ben by Sean Dick Talk on the Holy Ghost: Lindsay Dick (aunt) Confirmation of Ben by Sean Dick Remarks by Primary: Sis. Hilbun Welcome to the Ward: Bishop Foutz Closing Song: I am a Child of God Closing Prayer: Preston Frey (uncle) Refreshments served I'm not sure why the formatting is so strange on this post. Anyway, Ben's baptism day was very special. What a great date for a baptism: the Savior's birthday, the anniversary of the organization of the church and this year it also happened to fall on General Conference. Sean went over to the church about an hour early to make sure the font was being filled up. Nope - he actually couldn't even get in the church for over a half an hour. Luckily the water comes out pretty fast, so when he finally turned it on it only took about 25 min to get full. It was a nice simple program - mostly family was there with a few other friends. Grandpa Dick talked about baptism and making a covenant. He made a deal with Ben that if Ben reads from the Book of Mormon every day until Grandpa sees him again at the end of June, then Grandpa will take him to Bricks and Minifigs to pick out something fun. Lindsay talked about the Holy Ghost and how He is like a light that helps us see in the dark. She gave Ben his own CTR ring that can also help him to remember to Choose the Right so that he can always have the Holy Ghost with him. We had plenty of cookies for refreshments and then headed home for the afternoon session of Conference. What a special day!

Happy 8th Birthday Ben

Ben turned 8 years old on April 5 - one of the big birthdays. We had quite a bit of family that had come into town for his baptism (which was the next day), so we had some fun celebrating. Dad and bunch of the family went to our friends, the Edward's property and rode quads. Ben decided he wanted a camping cake (we looked at Hobbit cakes, Lord of the Ring cakes, Harry Potter cakes, etc, but none of them were really catching his eye). Charity and I fashioned a teddy bear camping cake, which turned out pretty cute. We had hamburgers and chips and fruit for dinner that night. Ben got some fun gifts: The Hobbit DVD, a couple books, a few Lego sets, and a bow and arrow (from Mom and Dad). He was pretty happy with the day. Ben is our mellow, happy, good-hearted kid. He is very rarely moody. He goes with the flow. He knows what it right and even though he can be silly with his friends he always knows where the lines are for doing what's right at the right time. He has come home on several occasions telling me that so-and-so is not his friend anymore because he doesn't like another boy that Ben is hanging out with, and Ben doesn't act mean but he just tells him that he is friends with everyone...and he really is. And within a day or so the boy will be back hanging out with Ben and the other boy. Ben is a great student. He recently brought his report card home with straight A's. He does great on the standardized testing as well. He is our little reader. He asked if he could read the Lord of the Rings books one day. We told him maybe he should start with the Hobbit. Dad made a deal with him that if he read Evertaster (a book his friend from college wrote), then he would get him his own copy of the Hobbit. Ben had it read in less than a week. Then he got the Hobbit and finished that up in less than a week too. He likes to read on the bus ride home from school and also at bedtime. He is respectful and kind and obedient and helpful. He is good at saving his money. He will just accumulate it until he has enough to buy something big he wants. He was so excited to start Cub Scouts - his first meeting was the Tuesday after his birthday, and he has already done all the things required to earn his Bobcat. He loves hamburgers, cereal and fruit. He will choose a bowl of cereal for his snack probably 80% of the time. His best buds are Nick, Aaron and Nate, and he also really enjoys playing with his own brothers and sisters. He has a soft spot in his heart for babies - he loves them and always has. He takes after his Mom and has a special name for all his siblings: Caelan is "Sinska," Megan is "Gainy," Nathan is "Capsason," and Austin is "Nin." We love Ben. He is our peacemaker. He is tender and good and kind. We can't imagine what our home or family would be without his influence.

Easter

Easter was pretty low key for us this year. I had intentions of talking about each day of the last week of the Savior's life every night the week leading up to Easter, but we ended up having something going on every single night that week (crazy). We did have a nice Family Home Evening the Monday before talking about Jesus Christ. Sean performed in a Stake Easter Musical Program on Good Friday, which was very lovely. We colored eggs on Saturday afternoon. Sunday was Fast Sunday, so our Easter Bunny didn't even show up until we were at church (he didn't want to tempt Caelan who was fasting that morning). He hid all the eggs around the house as well as the baskets and also a wrapped gift with a picture of Jesus. We ate chocolate and candy until we wanted to be sick, but at least we got rid of it pretty quickly. We had a nice dinner of ham, asparagus and cheesy potatoes. Austin LOVED the candy, especially the chocolate. He knew exactly what kind of candy he wanted, which happened to be the wrapped chocolates (like Hershey kisses or mini chocolate candy bars, etc). He wouldn't eat jelly beans unless he couldn't see any other chocolate options left in the basket. Funny boy. It was a nice, simple holiday. What a blessing it is to know what we really celebrate on this special day. I got asked to teach the Sharing Time lesson in primary a couple weeks ago and the lesson was on the Savior's Resurrection. At one point they suggest that you invite someone in who has lost a loved one so that they can talk about how the Resurrection brings them peace. I shared my own experience with my Mom and as I bore testimony in that meeting it was again reaffirmed to me that what I was saying was true: that because of Christ's death and resurrection we all will one day be resurrected. And because of his suffering for our sins in Gethsemane we will also have the opportunity to be with all of our loved ones forever if we keep the covenants we make in this life. I know He lives. I am so thankful that He did what I could not do for myself and because of that I can one day return to Him and my Father and be with my family for eternity.

Color Run

I bought a living social deal for a Color Run back a few months ago. I knew I would be over 7 months pregnant when the race came around, but I found out kids under 8 years old could run for free, so I thought maybe Ben would run with me. It happened to land on the same day that two of Ben's closest friends were getting baptized. At first he wasn't sure he wanted to come because he really didn't want to miss the baptism, but I think he felt bad that I was going to go by myself and so he came along. I'm so glad he did. We were a good team together. I jogged a lot of the way. I stretched a stomach muscle the week before at soccer practice, so I couldn't really go fast, but my legs and lungs felt great. It was one of those runs where you get squirted with colored powder at several different stations along the path. We were a colored mess when we were done. Since they started the race a little late we had to head straight to the baptism - we didn't have time to go home and shower. Man, some of that color (especially the green) just would not come off. I was leading the music at the baptism and felt a little like the Wicked Witch up there with my green tinted face and neck. We had a great time.

Fun at ITZ

A friend from Megan's class invited her to her birthday party at a fun indoor Family Fun Center place in Albuquerque. The invitation was for the whole family. At first I wasn't sure we would go - I felt bad having 6 extra people go, but I saw her Mom (also a lady that is on the PTO with me) a couple of times before the party and she asked if we were coming and hoped that we could make it. So, we ended up going. The kids LOVED it. They had a pizza, pasta, salad bar buffet. Then each of the kids got a pre-paid card they could use on all the rides/arcade games, etc. There were bumper cars, rock walls, a bunch of arcade games, a couple carnival-type rides, etc. They had a blast. Even Austin was running around all over the place loving the freedom. And it was all enclosed, so even though the kids weren't right there next to us, we could pretty much keep an eye on them the whole time. Fun time.

Some Randomness

Megan performed in the Kindergarten performance of "The Three Nanny Goats Gruff." She played one of the girl goats. It was a cute little play - the kids did a great job singing out their songs. That same night was the school Literacy night. The kids got punches in their card for each literacy event they went to. If they got 5 punches then they got a little treat on the way out. Clifford the Big Red Dog was wandering around the school. Megan got a good hug with him. Her picture with him (that looked pretty much like this one) got printed in the community newspaper. St. Patrick's Day landed on a Sunday. Dad made green pancakes for the kids for breakfast. We all wore green to church. We had corned beef and cabbage and potatoes for dinner. I was going to make key lime pie, but two people brought us treats that day, so I saved it for Family Home Evening the next day. YUM! Here's our own little Harry Potter. Ben was playing out in the forest in the backyard and a tree branch swung and whacked him in the face. The next day when it started to scab over it looked very similar to a Harry Potter scar.