A Clean House

I am a pretty clean and organized person. I always have been. My mom used to LOVE leaving me home by myself for any length of time because she knew when she got back the house would be set straight. I get up in the morning and get to my "picking up" routine, and it's kind of hard to me to relax at night if the living room (where I am trying to relax) is covered in toys and empty cups and shoes that children have tossed here and there. So I take 5 minutes and pick up like a mad woman so that then I can sit in that room without each little thing nagging me to put it away. And I'll have to admit - I'm pretty darn fast. Maybe it's just part of me, maybe it's my years and years of cleaning houses for earn money (through high school and college), maybe it's the fact that I know me: I know I like it a certain way and since I don't want to spend half my life cleaning (who does?) I just get right down to business. But even still, when you have 4 children 8 years old and under and a husband it's one of those never-ending things in life. The house ALWAYS needs something. I don't want to be one of those crazy, nagging mothers/wives who constantly need the house to look perfect - I mean, come on, we do live in it, so I have my routines: deep cleaning Monday morning, quick once-over other mornings and then a family pick-up time in the evening (short and fast) plus other little things here and there. It's still a pretty special day when you can say "the whole house is clean." I mean, is it really....ever? Well my friends, I think today is my day. My whole house is clean: vacuumed, swept, bathrooms scrubbed, floors mopped, dusted, picked up, windows washed, etc, etc. We are renting and getting ready to renew our lease, so the property management company just wanted to take a quick look at the inside (completely understandable). We've only lived in a house long enough to have this happen one other time. Both times I knew I was totally over-cleaning: these people were certainly not going to look at the top shelf of my daughters' closet, but still - I made sure the clothes were folded nicely up there. And I was right - a person can get a good idea if you are taking care of the property with about two glances around. And that's mostly what she did. Glanced here and there. Said it looked good and headed out. Kind of a little disappointing. But I'll sit and revel in my clean house - which won't look so clean by this evening, let's just be honest. Maybe I'll send the kids outside to play for the day......Hmmm...and then I can revel while I fold laundry (WAIT - I guess that means I still have something to clean - one of those other never-ending tasks of family life). Oh well - I was close.

Independence Day

We had a pretty simple 4th of July this year. Sean left early that morning for Scout Camp, so he wasn't with us for the festivities. We had our traditional barbeque with homemade ice cream on Sunday as a family. On the actual holiday the girls painted our toenails in patriotic style, the kids swam in the jacuzzi and then we went to the home of a family in the ward. We had a tasty barbeque, the kids jumped on the trampoline and in the jumper castle. They also played on a slip and slide and had a blast running around with all the other kids. We didn't want to leave early to go to Albuquerque to see the fireworks, so instead we just headed home and put a couple of mattresses out on the deck and slept under the stars. We saw a few shooting stars and satellites, so that was our sky action for the day (it was the first time in LOTS of years that we didn't see fireworks, but it was a great day anyway).

The Big Day

Caelan was baptized on June 18, 2011. It was a wonderful day. Grandpa and Grandma Dick came in to town. Great Grammy Dick also came as well as Tom and Carolyn and Rachel. We also had Grandpa and Grandma Sorensen with Kyra, Preston and Jesse. The program started at 11:00 AM. Grandpa Dick gave the talk on baptism. Kyra gave the talk on the Holy Ghost (and related it to the story of Pinocchio - very cute). Ben and Megan sang, "I am a Child of God." It was short and sweet and perfect. Sean both baptized Caelan and confirmed her a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint and gave her a blessing in which she received the gift of the Holy Ghost. Both Grandpas stood in as well as Bro. Crozier (from the bishopric), Bro. Pearce (our home teacher) and Bro. Gardiner (the ward mission leader). My heart was full the whole day: to look at this growing daughter of mine and see that she is old enough to make her own decisions and be accountable for them. And I felt so grateful that she is able to make these covenants (and that she knows what she is covenanting to do) and have the companionship of the Holy Ghost to guide her throughout her life. It was wonderful. We had a fun, family barbeque at the house afterwards.

8 is Great

Caelan turned 8 years old last week. HOLY MOLY - where does the time go? She had a simple birthday here at home with the family (we will have some other festivities next weekend when she gets baptized). Aunt Charity was here visiting, so she made Caelan an awesome sign and came up with the idea for her birthday banner. Caelan chose a Tinker Bell cake (which turned out pretty cute), and lasagna for dinner (delish). She got a fun shirt that changes color in the sun, a baptism dress, a Tinker Bell fairy set, a flower hair band and some art and craft supplies.


Some Fun Things About Caelan:
Favorite color: orange
Favorite food: lasagna and pizza
Favorite school subject: math
Favorite animal: horse
Favorite movie: Tangled, Princess and the Frog, Meet the Robinsons, Chronicles of Narnia 1 & 2 (the 3rd was pretty scary for her)
Favorite TV Show: Psych and Monk
Favorite Singer: Taylor Swift (she loves to belt out her songs)
She will try almost any food, and she is really good about eating vegetables and things she doesn't really like at dinner time. Almost every night while I am making dinner she asks, "Have we had it before and have I liked it?" She has always been a "negotiator" and it continues today. She is a real "explainer" too (why she is doing what she is doing, why she wants something, why we shouldn't do certain things, etc, etc). One of our favorite phrases that she says is, "I was going to ask...." and then she asks the question. HE HE HE. So funny. She is a good helper. She likes to cook and/or make her own food and help me in the kitchen. She loves to swim and asks to go in our jacuzzi almost every day. She is playing baseball and really likes it (and has a really great attitude). She makes friends easily and wants to include everyone. There isn't a "clicky" bone in her body. She has awesome hair and gets comments on it ALL THE TIME. She loves music: singing, dancing, practicing the piano. She loves to be busy and go places and have projects to do. She is a great student and is really responsible about getting her work done on her own. You never have to discipline too much with Caelan - a stern tone can sometimes bring tears (she's tender). Plus she has a great heart and has a real desire to do what is right and make good choices. She is a great oldest child and we are so lucky to have her.

Memorial Day at Duck Creek

*Cabin in the mountains with the whole Dick clan
*Riding quads and the 6-seater along trails, through running streams, down mountains, etc
*Exploring caves
*Seeing deer and deer and more deer
*Barbequing and eating tasty food
*Going to church in Alton
*Family Home Evening about being kind in word and deed
*Family talent show (of sorts) with singing by Caelan and Ben and dancing by Corbin and Bee and Hailey (and really, all of the kids)
*Swinging on swings on the porch
*Taking naps
*Playing on the tree-trunk teeter-totter
*Fishing (even though it didn't last long - it was cold and windy)
*Doing puzzles
*Having lots of FUN!

Moving onward and upward

Ben "graduated" from Kindergarten (that always seems like a funny way to put it). His program was actually referred to as "Kindergarten Progression" - which seems more appropriate to me. Anyway, they had a cute little program with lots of songs, and then the teachers gave out the certificates. And we ended the morning with cake and snacks. On to first grade.

To the Sunshine State We Go

Sean and I had a great trip to Florida. Sean went out for an interview, and they offered to fly me out as well. We flew Sean's mom in to town to watch the kiddos for three days and we headed across the country. Neither of us had been there before, so this was a new experience. We went to Pensacola (on the panhandle). Our hotel was RIGHT ON the beach. We literally walked out the back door of the hotel and onto the sand of the ocean. We went to the Naval Air Museum (one of the best in the world - and it really was awesome), we climbed to the top of a lighthouse, we toured an old army fort, Fort Pickens, we swam in the hotel pool, we walked along the beach, we swam in the ocean (and the water was PERFECTION - warm and not too salty), we ate lots of delicious food and we just hung out together...with no kids. It was a fantastic get-away (and even more great that is hardly cost us anything to go)
And even though it was beautiful and Sean really liked the plant and the guys he interviewed with, we both kind of left knowing that we wouldn't be coming here any time too soon. So, it was a pressure-less vacation. Love it.
We forgot out camera, so these are all phone camera shots.