Dear Friends and family,
My parents left Tuesday morning. My friend brought me lemon bars to ease the pain. Having them around is like having fairy godparents in the house. Everyone is happy, life goes smoothly, messes and projects are cleaned up and done - it is like magic. Monday we canned applesauce with all the apples we had picked from our gala tree. It seemed effortless and easy and was all done in the space of an afternoon. Thursday and Friday I canned peaches. At the end of which I felt sticky everywhere and our kitchen had a gleam of sugar syrup everywhere I looked. There was some late night scrubbing going on!
Monday my dad helped us figure out how to do lights on our deck. Jeremy motivated by a party he was having Tuesday stayed up getting one side of the deck wired up with us being electricians assistants. The other half didn't get done but the one side looked awesome.
Tuesday Jeremy hosted a photographer BBQ here. He had a good turnout and everyone stayed late watching the fire and talking. I was a bit in and out as I had a Relief Society event but our kids after a combination of threats and bribes were happy to stay inside watching a movie till I could put them to bed. Saturday night Jeremy was able to get together with his photo friends again out on the salt flats to practice with models taking pictures. He tries to squeeze in his camera time around all the other obligations in his life and has to refuse most of the invitations he receives so I was glad he got to enjoy more camera time this week.
Friday night was the daddy/daughter camp-out. Allison and Robyn were thrilled. It was next to a bike trail so they ran around a bunch. They shot rockets and candy rockets which are a big hit every year. They came home extremely dirty and happy. Robyn's feet after wearing sandals all weekend helped motivate me to take her to get tennis shoes after she got back! The soles of her feet were black with periodic blood splatters from scrapes.
With the girls gone, Spencer and I went out for his mom date night. He graciously let Taylor accompany us as I couldn't find a babysitter. We saw Sorcercer's apprentice at the dollar theater which was a great older kid movie. Then a picnic at a park and ice cream at Coldstone. Our favorite part of the night though was that Taylor had an amazing time. Often I think Taylor should just stay home as he usually doesn't seem to enjoy our outings. This time he was alert the whole time. Watched the movie, ate a foot long sandwich with gusto and would not stop smiling, signing more and opening his mouth looking for more ice cream at Coldstone. The whole way home he kept clapping, giggling and chirping in the back seat causing Spencer and I laugh. With Spencer I often feel that I have missed the boat in teaching him things. But Friday night he went the extra mile. Opening every door he could think of, getting the wheelchair in and out for me, sharing his ice cream with Taylor after Taylor had demolished his and just bringing out his best manners for the evening.
This week I had to lead an inservice for the elementary teachers about the school art program. Don't know why I stress about it but I always feel that I shouldn't be telling teachers what they should do. All those school phobias of talking back to the teacher are still with me I guess. But it went well. Robyn even though she had been whining and screaming all day spent the hour running around on the playground with an older friend and didn't interrupt once.
School activities are in full swing now. Wednesday has become the day where my rear does not leave the driver seat of our van in the afternoon. I thought it would be easier to just cram everything into one day instead of spreading it out. Spencer and Allison both still have piano and scouts/activity days and then everyone picked one extra thing. Robyn is doing gymnastics at this little mom and pop place. Allison is doing jazz dance and was thrilled this week to win a dance off. Spencer decided to continue with guitar lessons. Allison is also doing the school choir once a week but that is really school except for the extra pick-up time. It doesn't sound like much but it makes me glad for my calendar to keep everything straight! Robyn is also in preschool three times a week, which she loves and I am doing a temple play group again. So its definitely a more scheduled life than our summer but everyone seems to be happy with their choices.
Taylor continues to do better although not great. Some days he is really with it, and others the seizures start to creep back but never as bad as they were. So we will continue working on it. We are adjusting Spencer's meds too. With his growth over the last year and a half it was time. I am hoping it will help curb the hopping around, constantly talking excited times and the low, angry, grumpy with the world times. Part of that is just an 11 year old boy but I think it can be much better.
Love to you all, Heather
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