September 2014

We spent Labor Day playing music with the Williams and doing chores and school at home with a little relaxing. 

I took a few pictures of the kids doing their schoolwork. Rachel is finishing her theory.

Adam was done, but he looked so cute coloring on the stairs. He used to hate coloring and we have worked hard to change his mind about that. It is so good to see him choosing to color all on his own. 

Sarah plugging away at Math. 

The dancing has begun. I have been traveling to all different wards helping prepare for the Phoenix Temple Celebration. I spend 2-3 nights a week doing that. Tyler has said it is funny to switch roles and be the one home in the evenings with the children. Some nights we both have to be gone, but with better planning at least one of us is here. Honestly, I like being the Mommy at home supporting my husband.

Saturday we went to the temple and did endowments with Madeline Griffin, Brett Wescott, and Sister Tait. It was lovely. Of course, being at the temple is always lovely.

Sister Tait sent home a treat for the kids, she is so sweet...and so were the treats.

Sunday the kids made a Lego Temple. You can see Angel Moroni on the top with his trumpet.

Inside you can see the check-in desk to show your recommend in the corner, the locker rooms opposite and the baptismal font and sealing room. 

It rained all night Monday Sept 8th. Tuesday we couldn't believe the results.

We had to take a bike ride and check out the results of the giant rain! 

Then we took a dip in the very full pool. 

Adam went to a pirate party for his friend Ethan Zink.

In the middle of the week Adam, Rachel, and I got very, very, very sick. We had a stomach bug for 2 days. For once Sarah was the healthy one and got a taste of what it is like to take care of us. We are thankful she rinsed out our buckets after we filled them, repeatedly. At night Brother McLelland and Dad came home and gave us all blessings. The 2nd day was so much better. Poor Adam filled his bucket 10 times. Luckily there was only one event that didn't make it into a bucket, but it was on linoleum. Phew! We are glad that is over.

Back to work. Saturday morning I had a dance practice to teach at then ran over to the Primary Program Practice to help the Sunbeams prepare for their part. Then sewed with Sarah. She volunteered to sew one of the costumes for the Phoenix Temple Cultural Celebration. In this jalisco skirt there are skirt pieces for a double circle skirt and a ruffle made of 12 panels each 60 inches long and we have to hem one side, serge the other, and sew 4 different colors of ribbon and lace down the entire thing, then gather it all and connect it to the double circle skirt. Wow.

Sarah is totally up for it. I loved watching her confidence increase as she took on this project. She always has been afraid of the sewing machine, but now she doesn't mind it a bit. It took us way more than the 10 hours required for her Young Women's goal. It was so fun working together. I never would have been able to do this alone, she needed me to make measurement marks as she sewed to help her know where to put the ribbons and pin up the hem as we went. That thing was giant.

They dropped off the "kit" to us which included cut pieces but no instructions other than what order to sew the ribbon colors on, so we kind of just had to figure it out.

Sewing buddies. I admit I did call Aunt Luise once, mostly to vent. 

Sarah printed out pictures of her room for Young Women in Excellence. It turned out so nicely and she loves being in there. I'm glad she has worked so hard painting, making decisions and learning how to decorate. She'll be a great homemaker.

Ah, so peaceful. 

Orthodontist appointments are our life. 

Orchestra started up for Sarah. She is loving her new songs and was so thrilled to discover she is a first violin in the 3rd division. If this means nothing to you, then you are normal. Just know that for her it means that she did better than she had hoped and is progressing well. At the first chair test she made 2nd chair and was doubly surprised. During her rehearsals we hang out. Sometimes we thrift store shopping or to a park or the nearby McDonald's playplace.

September ended with another giant rainstorm. I had just gotten all showered, put on a dress, and did my hair and makeup to go do some visits when the storm burst upon me in the driveway. I came back inside cracking up totally soaked head to foot and asked the family who wanted to come play in the rain with me. I changed into grubbies and we all braved the storm. The wind was so strong it almost knocked over even Tyler. You could hardly see for the rain pelting down. 

We took a walk around the neighborhood and floated boats down the gutters. The fun thing about Phoenix rain is that it is warm, but this water was cold! By the time we were done with our walk our teeth were chattering and we needed to warm up with hot cocoa! What a fun Saturday event!