Elinor Homecoming 2020

Elinor had a great time going to "homecoming" with Aidan.  I put it in parentheses because there wasn't actually a homecoming dance.  It was homecoming with an emphasis on home.  Basically, groups of kids put together their own dates and did their own thing.

Her date, Aidan, is a fellow swimmer, although for different school.  The other two boys (Easton and Cade) and the girl in the blue dress (Janie) are fellow Riverton swimmers.  I'm so glad they got to all go together.  They went on a hike during the day on Friday and then the dinner and date in the evening at Easton's house.

Easton and Aiden swim on a club team together so that's how they met.

She is a senior with a fierce, independent streak.  She is smart and the hardest working girl I know.  We love her and are so proud of her.  

One more, just cause they're cute:)

Abe Visits His Mom

 

Abe, Clark, Alexa and Uncle Phil flew up to Spokane this weekend to visit Abe's mom.  We hadn't seen her at all this year and Abe didn't want the whole year to pass without hugging his mom.  He is a good son like that:)  Clark hadn't seen her since before his mission, and of course Alexa had never met her.  It sounds like they've had a lovely time.

Fox Hill is a magical place.

I didn't know Mom Fox was a Diet Pepsi drinker.  Maybe she's not, but she knows Abe is... and that's the kind of mom she is.

I'm glad he could make this trip.

Seriously.

Just a couple deer passing the front yard.

Grandma and Clark and Alexa.

This picture makes my heart happy:)  I think it probably makes Abe giddy.

Phil, Abe, and Jess.  The Three Musketeers.  

Dinner at Dockside restaurant in Coeur d'Alene.

A visit to Grandpa Fox's gravesite.

Abe was really looking forward to getting to do home church with his mom.

September 26, 2020

This picture of Faith and her piano duet partner, Sariah cracks me up.  I don't know what Faith's facial expression is saying, but I like it:)

I wouldn't think this a very comfortable place to sit.  But since they were both perched on their pile of Legos, I guess it wasn't too bad.

She won't always sneak into our room and climb into bed with us.   I suppose I will miss it.  That being said, she is sort of a terrible little bedfellow.  She wedges herself as tight against me as she can and if I try to move away from her, she is like a heat seeking missile and she immediately find me again.

She's not so good with personal space.  She adores Bethany's friend, Jason.

Sunday dinner with our favorite Schramm Fam.  It was a little pre-Thanksgiving  feast:)

Bethany recently shared with us a song she wrote for her music therapy class.  I totally cried.  Granted, I cry over a lot of things, but still, I loved this!

You'd think they'd outgrow taking selfies on my phone.  Not so.

A poison apple to go with the witch nails.  Isn't it great that we can just agree to disagree about what length of nails look nice?

Peter is now a purple belt:)  Tae Kwon Do is a great fit for our Pete!

In other exciting news-- Cannon and George just got cast in this year's Oquirrh Mountain Ballet's Nutcracker.  George will be Fritz and Cannon will be the Nutcracker Prince!  I love my ballet boys!  

Betsy Learns Some Lessons in Parenting

Without going into details-- that aren't really my place to share anyway-- may I just say that we are a big, hot, beautiful mess at our house.  We've got a lot of teenaged girls and a lot of emotions.  We are living life and learning from our experience. Picture, if you will, Abe recently bringing his collection of handkerchiefs into a room where we all sat crying.  Yes, it happened.  We're trying to understand each other.  Growing up is challenging and parenting is humbling.  I'm learning.  

This was a much needed, light-hearted moment of the girls (and George) making music videos. 

Lesson #1 

When you come upon a marvelous scene, enjoy it.  Don't find the one tiny thing you wish was different and dwell there.  Focus on and appreciate the beauty before you.  

Lesson #2

You don't need to fix them or control them.  It's not your job to perfect them.  You an enjoy them and accept them and love them.

Lesson #3

Abe and I are in the "messy middle" of parenting.  We aren't at the beginning of the story where we are establishing the setting and the characters.  We aren't to the resolution, the happy ending.  We're in the part where the audience in the theater is nervous watching us bumbling around and making mistakes while we try to do the right things. We are at the part where we don't know how it's going to end.  Except that we kind of do.  Because of Christ, this is going to end well.  Markedly better than any of us deserve.  So relax.  Have Faith.  So you can enjoy the exciting story and trust the author.

Lesson #4

You win some, you lose some.  Sometimes you're up and sometimes you're down.  And the transitions can come quickly and unexpectedly.  It's not supposed to be happy all the time.  Just because we are uncomfortable doesn't mean something is wrong.  We don't need to live in worry and fear that things may go wrong--- Because we know for sure they will.  And we also know tomorrow will come and we will be happy again. Trust that God knows all and He will make all things work together for our good.  That leaves us free to enjoy the good times and even find peace in the hard times.

Lesson #5

Remember who matters.  Remember the relationships come first.  Thomas S. Monson said, "Never let a problem to be solved become more important that a person to be loved."

Lesson #6

And now to quote Taylor Swift.  " You need to calm down... You need to just stop."  And when I say stop, I mean STOP TALKING.  Seriously, just shut up and listen.  They are much more likely to talk if you just calm down and stop talking at them. 

Mad Scheduling Skills

Faith was overcome with joy to get her Sinatra vinyls and record player in the mail this last week.  Faith has a style all her own.  She likes what she likes and it's pretty great.  She is a delight-- funny and fiesty -- and an utter delight!

Peter and Greta bring so much joy to our family.  They are so good to each other and they are loved by so many big people in the house.  

George did a tasty science experiment melting chocolate with a magnifying glass.  Science experiments are pretty much his favorite thing.  Lucky for me, he is pretty good about figuring out what to do by himself.  Science experiments aren't my strong suit.

Greta started her dance class back up.  She likes her tumbling classes-- but she loves dance class.

Elinor was so happy to get asked to "homecoming" this week.  I say that in quotations, because there is no official homecoming dance.  It's just groups of friends putting a fancy date together.  They may have there own small dance, they'll still do a day date, dinner, and fancy pictures.  Anyway, I guess they are making do the best they can.  

She would have said yes anyway... but using a quote from Elinor's favorite show-- Psyche, was a good idea:)

My kind of gamers... board gamers.  George and Peter love to play board games together.  Lately their favorites are Life, Texasopoly, and Battleship.  

Elinor was sworn in at the Riverton City Youth Council Mayor.  It is a youth service organization in the city and Elinor really enjoys being a part of it.  

Elinor is on the far right.  Unfortunately a lot of the activities the council usually helps with aren't happening because of COVID.  Hopefully, they  will still get to do some of the traditional service opportunities.  

Abe won a major award!  

Ha ha ha!  No, but for real, he did win this TV at work,  so that's been kind of fun.  We didn't really need a new, big TV, but we'll take it!

When Abe sent me this picture he attached the message, "THIS IS NOT A DATE!"

Hmmm...

In reality, they just gave a ride to a fellow dancer to a party another dancer hosted.  It was a back to dance party-- and Cannon, not surprisingly, is the only boy in the Jr. Dance Company.  Soooo... it was Cannon a 12 of the cutest girls in Utah County.  He led them in a game of Mafia.  And not surprisingly, he was having the time of his life.

Firefighter Greta and the boys.  Here's what I want to know... how does a four year old girl in a firefighter costume still know to pop her heel in a picture?  I guess it's the effect of having so many older sisters?  Sigh.  I get the feeling these younger kids are going to grow up too fast.

Today was a super busy day for our house-- I want to share, not to brag, but moore like when I am old and gray I want to look back and be impressed with my younger self:) Also it was quite a scheduling puzzle, but we made it work and I am giving myself a pat on the back for my mad scheduling skills!

Bethany-- volunteered at a Herriman City Princess party, worked from 12-5

Elinor-- ACT in Orem, shopping for a homecoming dress with me

Faith-- swim practice 10-12, work staff meeting at Jolleys 12:30-1:45

Cannon-- dance rehearsal 9:30-2:00, skate park with friends

Peter-- Tae Kwon Do testing 10-11

George, Peter, Greta-- late night with Chase kids 5-9

And the crazy part was that Abe had to work all day today and so it was up to me to get everyone dropped off and picked up on time.  MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!  Go me.  That's all.