Jeremy left today for Trek.

He's the medical director and I'm the music director.

I leave tomorrow after dropping Benny and Jaycie off at the bus at 4 a.m.

Should be fun!

Pioneer up!  Yeehaw!

Long Day. . .

Today was a long day of cleaning and then meeting with people to sell our home.

It will be a relief when we don't have to do that anymore.

Every day is a run from minute to minute.

I wake with my teeth clenched.  The muscles in my neck and back are getting tighter and tighter.

I could use my Aunt Nancy's massage chair about now.

Luckily, every day gets closer and closer to the eradication of the causes of my major stressors.

With every labor and delivery, my awareness of pain is heightened.  I believe our bodies remember pain and when that same pain comes again, at least my body remembers and reacts.

I've come to the conclusion that my mind is the same way.  Dealing with moving again, the fourth time in four years, my mind remembers the stress all too well.  Even though I try and calm it down, it is on overload.  At least I know it will all be over in about 8 weeks.  

True, that's a little longer than a labor and delivery, but having an endpoint helps.  : )

'Til next time!

Yesterday evening we did a few "last" things with Fiona.

After swimming, we left the Eagle project hat making ladies in our house,

(the goal is 800 by the end of summer - go Michael!)

And took Fiona to In N Out - her favorite besides Canes.

When she first came, the kids and I took her here and told our most embarrassing moments.

During her time with us, she may have added a few more embarrassing moments than the one she shared that first time.
(Benny was at Applause and Jaycie was at Beehive camp being a YCL)

After staying up most of the night,

Benny, Timo and I took her to the airport at 3:30 a.m. this morning.

We will miss this beautiful German girl, but we are not saying goodbye. . . 

only, "See you later. . . Alligator!"

There is no real reason. . .

There is no "real" reason I can't type a few sentences on this thing every day.

I miss being able to look back at our family history that takes place on the blog.

Yesterday, our offer on a house in Missouri was accepted.

The scouts also came over and worked on the Aquanot stuff.

You know your husband loves his calling when he comes inside and asks you to take pictures because 10 teenage boys swimming in the pool is termed as "cute".

And it kind of was.

The house in Missouri has a pool too, I'm sure this kind of thing will continue out there.

Since the hot tub was warmed up, the family stayed out late and enjoyed it.

Too bad we have screamy girls and a neighbor who goes to bed at 7.

It's no fun to get yelled at over the fence.

The house in Missouri is in the middle of 3 acres.

No fences and no neighbors real close to bother.

Phew!

Hmmm. . .

So. . . 

I was just barely celebrating the fact that I had no more boxes to unpack.

And today I just packed two.

More on this later, but, yes, we are moving again.

Caden's year #11

Caden is our second kiddo with a birthday in October.

In 2012 he turned the big 12.

It's kind of cool that he was born in 2000 because he's always as old as the year it is 

(minus 2000, of course).

Caden earned his Arrow of Light when he turned 11.

It was a happy celebration where he got his face painted.

It's kind of fun that Jeremy and I both were in scouts so we all have shirts.  : )

(Just a side note, Caden at 12 is only 1 inch shorter than me.  I'd say he grew a bit in his 11th year.)

Caden had his first run at Hollywood Kids and was Mushu.

He has extremely good timing with humorous lines, on and off the stage.

He is a big teddy bear and has always been a hugger.

When he was in kindergarten getting off the bus in Cincinnati,

he would leave the bus steps and begin running toward me, leaping into my arms for a huge hug.  He didn't care who was watching and it always landed a grin on my face.  I hope he never grows out of it.

Turning 11 with a Dad as a Boy Scout Leader meant he was able to go on all sorts of campouts.

This was at the Klondike Derby and the characteristic of Caden this pic reminds me of is his ability to get along with all ages.  He isn't intimidated by anyone older or younger than him and draws them all in to his happy circle.  He has always made friends very easily.

In Michigan, I remember getting out of the car at church (Caden was just 3), and about 5 other boys, ranging in age from 12 to 5, would run out to the car yelling, "Caden!"  And would escort him inside, Caden sporting a grin the whole way.  He's just a cool kid.

For 5th and half of 6th grade, Caden did school online through Nevada Virtual Academy.

When he went to middle school full time January 2013, I went into my room and cried.

He is an absolute delight to teach (even though he would moan, "I hate math, I hate school," over and over while diligently doing his work.  When I would correct his papers I would often burst out laughing because he had put funny little comments in the middle of his spelling or history.

Fridays were are science and art days.  Neal would come over to our house one week and the next Caden would go to his.  They were a funny team and became fast friends.

This is the only teacher/student pic I have of his 5th grade year.

We were both hiding from my mom taking a pic.

I kind of went crazy on a million pics of our easy going son so have fun scrolling.  : )

 

Books made him happiest on his 12th birthday.

Here he is just an inch shorter than me at a Court of Honor.

It was a special day when he was ordained a deacon.

He took to his responsibilities with a "this is what I've been waiting to do my whole life" kind of attitude.  Finally, he has been given responsibility and a "real", worthwhile job.

Caden, we love you!

First thing this morning. . .

So first thing this morning,

I walk into the kitchen and am greeted by Timo.

He quips,

"I would sure hate to be a bald man in a lightning storm."

"Why's that?" I queried.

"You couldn't know if the static was building up and you were going to be hit by lightning because you wouldn't have any hair to start standing up to warn you."

LOL!