UTVA ALPS Outings Jan - Mar

HEALTHY HEARTS DISCOVERY DAY

Bobby Lawrence Karate

Max's Teachers

Mrs. Keeler, Kindergarten Teacher; Mrs. Davies, ALPS; Mrs. Charles, Literature

CAPITOL BUILDING TOUR

The school scheduled lunch and a tour of the Utah State Capitol Building.

Max's best school friend Aislynn was there and as always they are stuck together the entire time.


NATIONAL HISTORY MUSEUM

Max presented his project on dogs but it was so noisy that no one could hear anything. After the presentation began the crazy chaos of running around following his little friend Aislynn . We had lunch and played a few bat games for the monthly subject. Max asked if we could go back through the museum and he and I enjoyed an hour wandered around looking at whatever exhibits caught his eye and going back to the chocolate exhibit twice.

MAX'S DOG BOOK
Max chose dogs for his project and decided to put together a book. We read several books about dogs, gathering facts and he used his dog drawing book to draw several dogs. He made a cover, a title page, a table of contents and then pages of Firedogs, Chihuahuas, Worker dogs, Maggie & Buddy, pugs and his drawings.

Max interviewing with the owner of his dog friends.

Max's Turns Six!

Max's birthday was simple and yet somehow chaotic and crazy. James and I debated over and over different scooters as we tried to find the right one for our Max. When I came home with puppy wrapping paper Max was SO excited! He said thank you over and over. He loved his Thomas banner and got a huge kick out of his puppy bowl. He decided to save his cake for his birthday party with his cousins and asked if we could have s'mores on his birthday. 

We started the morning with Max's favorite chicken bisquits from Chic-fil-a and then he opened his Jake and the Neverland Pirates Coloring Book. After coloring together with James he opened his Lego train set and they had fun putting it together. Max is getting really good at following the instructions for the little Legos.

James took Max on a birthday "recon" mission while I was at the girl's weekend and Max decided what he wanted most (even more than a new train set) was a scooter. After trying out two that were too difficult for him we finally found one that was just right.

(The green three-wheeled one.)

The day after his birthday cousins Logan, Korben, Andie and Hailey came to celebrate with Max. Max's cake request this year was a puppy cake. I found a cake that was simple but satisfied him. After hotdogs and chicken fries for dinner, the kids played "Pin the paw on the Puppy", had cake and ice cream, ran around in the backyard together and then opened presents. Logan and Korben gave him a minion shirt and a Lego Police car. Andie and Hailey gave him a load of art supplies that all the cousins had a chance to play with before heading home.

I can't believe my little boy is already six!

March 2014

Zane

He likes being the "bad guy", has decided that red is his favorite color, 7 is his favorite number and he totally digs spiderman
(even though he has never really watched it.) He likes to talk to his toys and his food in a cute, tiny, squeaky voice and has started calling Max "brother" all the time.

Maxi

He still carries his puppy Scruffy everywhere with him, art is his favorite subject,
he cries easily (especially when his little brother is picking on him) and he is very sensitive to the light. 

A girl's weekend with Mom before her mission.

We talked, laughed, ate too much food, stayed up too late, had a Mary Kay party and attended a Temple session together. It was a wonderful weekend despite how miserable I felt. I couldn't enjoy it as much as I hoped but I was so glad to be there. Because I was sick Jessica and I talked all about the doterra oils and I was reminded what a part of my life it used to be. I'm not sure how I let that part of my life go but I am so grateful to have reconnected with it. When I got home I replenished my oil supply and am learning again how to use them.

My new headboard found on KSL.

Kells gave us a desk that is such a great school desk for Max.

February 2014

Cousins Jesse, Hannah and Becca joined us for our Thursday night Girl's night.

After re-introducing ourselves we chopped vegetables for a homemade salsa then stayed up til 3 am talking.

Valentine's Day

We made our silly mailboxes a few days before Valentines and then had a few days of fun and yummy gifts.

(Dad had the lion, Mom the butterfly, Max the fox (dog) and Zane had the elephant.)

I almost didn't string the house this year but Max was so disappointed that he helped me with some simple stringing which they followed to their gifts. Max's gift was a Lego construction vehicle and Zane's was a Lego fire truck.(Grandpa Keith forgot to give them to the boys for Christmas so they got them for Valentines.)

Kid Comedy, Sweetness and Sadness

Zane

While snuggling in the chair for bedtime:

"Mommy, will you get the dragon off my ear?"

Snuggling in the chair after a long crying spell:

"Mommy, will you wipe the sadness off my eyes?"

Snuggling for naptime while I had a good cry...

"Mommy, Let's wipe away your sad face."

Zane informed me one day, " Jesus got me from the library."

Max

(I overheard Max telling Zane to stop flushing the toilet.)

"Zane, stop flushing the toilet.

Zane, stop flushing the toilet!

Zane, stop or you will fall in and if you fall in I would be heartbroken."

"Hey Mom, I'm so glad you're my mother. I love your voice."

Soon after we began studying History Max wanted me to read him a certain story.

He told me I could find it in the "label of continents."

While building legos with Zane, Max became more and more upset.

When I asked him what the problem was he replied,
"He is building a bad design!"

Said to James:

"Mommy vacuumed over there so there aren't any more dead spiders."

(After a thoughtful pause.)

"I think that is why you married her.

So she could take care of me."


When James asked Max if he would read a verse in our Book of Mormon stories, Max replied,
"I can't. My mouth is dry. My throat hurts. My penis itches and my pants are falling down."

When seeing the first snow...
" When I saw the snow I BURST with surprise!"

For awhile Max was a little obsessed with the idea of death. One day he was asking question after question and despite all our reassuring answers he ended up sitting in the hall in James' lap, sobbing and saying over and over, "But, I don't want to die!" We tried telling him so many things...that he wouldn't die until he was really old, that he would be with Jesus, that we would be with him. But nothing seemed to comfort him. We just all sat in the hallway crying together until he felt better.

James

Max has discovered 'how to draw' instructions on the internet.

After finishing his drawing he began typing in other things he wanted to draw.

James said to me, "He is typing in searches. I'm not ready! I have to delete the internet!"

November 2013

Kara vs. the Pole

I was out shopping; thinking that I had been out too long and was a bit shaky because I needed food. I headed out of the Target parking lot thinking of what to make for dinner. I glanced in my rear view mirror and was momentarily blinded by the sun glare. I was thinking about what to make for dinner and then suddenly there was a horrible noise, crash, a terrible smell and I heard myself screaming. I stopped screaming, looked in the mirror, saw my nose bleeding and screamed again. Then my door opened and a man asked if I was okay. I had driven right into a pole and the air bag had deployed.. A wonderful couple stayed with me for two hours while I called James and my insurance and waited for a tow truck and then they drove me home.

I was very shaken up and my neck hurt but was so very blessed. Blessed that I was alone and the boys weren't with me, blessed that I had my seat belt on, blessed that I was mostly unhurt and blessed that people were in the right place to help me and were so willing to do so. 

(I also called Tiffany to tell her that I would not be able to teach the lesson in YW's the next day. I was looking forward to teaching and was disappointed that I didn't get to give the lesson I had prepared. But I did not feel up to it. During YW's the next day the girls wrote me cards and brought them over to me along with some fuzzy socks.)

(I was also blessed to have a great chiropractor and to have insurance that covered the cost.)

Max's ALP Aircraft Project

For his ALPS project Max chose ships as his subject. After reading several books about all types of ships, he narrowed it down to Aircraft Carriers. He constructed several models with legos, drew many different types of ships and then finally worked with James to build a cardboard model.

THE LEGO CONSTRUCTIONS

BUILDING & PAINTING

THE FINAL PROJECT

PRESENTING

He presented his project to the class; reading his report, showing his model and all the parts of the carrier and then shooting an airplane across the room using his homemade rubber band catapult. I was so proud of his successful first school project and presentation!

We celebrated with ice cream!