Week 12

{March 21 - 27}

Monday I took a final for my most recent college class and passed--barely. I was kind of disappointed in my score, actually, but it was a pass nonetheless. While I was gone for a few hours doing my test, Josh and the boys starting trimming the hedge along the ditch bank. Josh had been wanting to cut it back, and we thought we might get to it over Spring Break, but the weather was decent so he decided to just start the job that evening. They completed the section from the driveway to the first bridge. When Josh and I went to help clear out Grandpa's house a few weeks ago, I found a king size quilt there in a bag that I thought would go well on our bed. None of the beds in Grandpa's house are king-sized, so I thought myself lucky to find it. I've been looking for a new comforter for our bed for a while now--I have a hard time finding a pattern with a color combination I like, but I loved BOTH on this quilt. The current blanket on our bed has a problem with the batting bunching up and there's no way to access the batting inside to fix the problem. It's been bugging me for a while, so I was ecstatic to find a new blanket that I liked to go on my bed! I put it on my bed on Monday night, and when I pulled it out of the bag, I found the receipt from when it was purchased, from 1993! It has obviously never been used in the last 23 years!

Ann was Grandma's sister. I think Grandma
called her to purchase it and sent her the money
to pay it off from layaway since Ann lived
closer to malls than Grandma did. 

On Tuesday morning, Kanyon stayed home from school. He'd been sick all night coughing and hacking, and he'd woken with a fever. I gave him some ibuprofen, and Josh came home and spent a few hours with him during the day. On Tuesday night, after we'd had dinner, the boys and I helped Josh with the hedge project again. I'd had no idea he'd already done a section of it the night before, and was so surprised to see it partially done already! We worked for just over an hour to get the longest section done and the whole job completed! Josh used the large trimmers to cut main branches, I used the small trimmers to cut minor branches and dead limbs, and the 3 older boys continually hauled the trimmings away to the burn pile. I couldn't believe we got it done so quickly, and neither could Josh. We thought it would be a several-day project, not a 2-evening project!

The start of the project on Day 2. See the section that's already been done to
the left of Josh compared to the hedge on his right that's taller than his head?

Cutting the last few branches on the long hedge.
I think it looks SO much better now!
It will be easier to maintain, too!

Kanyon felt just as poorly on Wednesday morning, and he still had a fever, so he stayed home once again. I felt bad for him because he'd worked hard to earn his AR (Accelerated Reading) goal at school, and the students who'd made their goal got to go get ice cream during last recess that day, and he had to miss it. I told him I'd take him out another time to get an ice cream cone, because he deserved it! I was really proud of him for accomplishing it! He was feeling better by Wednesday evening (finally!), and decided that he wanted to go to scout pack meeting that night. They'd been learning about reusing and recycling materials, and had put together carnival activities at their den meetings leading up to it, so he was really looking forward to going. We had a great time! There was bowling using old milk cartons, bean bag tosses into boxes that the boys had cut holes out of (Kanyon's box had two holes--the big hole was worth 10 points and the small hole was worth 23 points), ring toss and coin toss, fishing, balloons, candy, and refreshments. It was a really fun night, and I'm glad he was feeling better so that he could go!

He was determined to beat my score of 9 in bowling!
He bowled over and over again! His best score was 8.

His giraffe balloon prize and a floating airplane that he made out of a milk carton.

On Thursday, the 3 younger boys had no school because of Parent Teacher conferences (this is the 3rd time it's happened this year, and I'm kind of getting tired of those extra days off). It was different this time, though, because it was the last day of school before spring break, so a lot of people used it to go on vacation early. Ammon was supposed to have a golf tournament in Rexburg that day, but unfortunately, it got cancelled just the night before, so he had to get up and go to school, even though nobody else in our family did. It ended up being a wasted day, too, because the high school apparently wasn't having any educational learning done due to a brand new policy suddenly going into effect about students not using the school's wi-fi. That seemed to be the only thing that students talked about all day, and multiple students got in trouble if they discovered the newly created password and used the internet. I felt bad that Ammon even went to school and then to have to deal with that all day was worse. Josh didn't have a single student ride his bus that day, either--zero passengers! Having the high school go and not the elementary school the day before Spring Break was such a waste.  Anyways...Kanyon's dentist called and said they'd had an opening for that day, and I took it because Kanyon had an infected tooth and his original appointment wasn't until April. I'm glad that he was feeling better, because I'm not sure they could've done the procedure if he'd been coughing constantly like he was two days prior to it. The crown in one of his teeth had fallen out last year (unbeknownst to me), and the tooth had been exposed for so long that it was infected and infecting his gums, too, so the dentist had to pull the tooth. When we got to Idaho Falls, Kanyon wanted to go to Arctic Circle first thing. He ordered the halibut sandwich and climbed on the playground equipment until it was time to go. We got to the dentist's office a little early, so he happily played on the arcade until he got called back to the patient's room.

He did well during the procedure, but didn't feel so good afterwards. I thought he was going to pass out as he walked outside; he was so pale and weak. He sat in the car as I went to Sam's Club and got a few things, and also when I went to the appliance store to get a new dishwasher. By the time I got to D.I., he was feeling a little better (I think the gas was wearing off at this point), and he came inside and picked out a new pair of church shoes. Then he went into Walmart with me, and helped me do all my Easter Bunny duties. He was a great help picking out chocolates and Easter surprises for his brothers. I stopped at Arby's before we left Idaho Falls and got him an ice cream cone for being so good, and because he missed the one at school the previous day. When we got home that evening, Josh decided to install the new dishwasher. Only, it didn't have the same connections as our old dishwasher, so he ran into Ace to get what he needed just in time before it closed. It took about 2 hours to do all the wiring and water connections on it, pull out the old dishwasher, clean the area, level the new dishwasher, and hook it all up. Josh hates installing things and he was NOT in a good mood! Plus, our house was a disaster in the process and mice crap was all over the floor under the old dishwasher, so that didn't help his mood, either. But now we have a working dishwasher, and it's much quieter, and it doesn't leak, which is just great!

This is what installing a new dishwasher looks
like: dirty dishes all over the counter, tools spread
around, a brand new white appliance surface,
and a bent-over hard-working husband. 

On Friday, I was in a bit of a funk and couldn't focus on college work, so instead, I worked on projects around the house. When Josh came home, he and I took a load to the dump, which included the old dishwasher, and he helped me install a new shelf in Kanyon's room too.  

Saturday morning was the Rotary Easter Egg Hunt at the City Park. We always look forward to it! Jonah and Micah didn't want to do it this year, though, so Kanyon was the only one of our kids who went in to it. He was in the 9-12 year old category, and stood along the age group boundary line with Heber, a friend from church, and as they waited, they scoped out which eggs they wanted and were planning on going for.

When the bell rang, he ran out and got 11 eggs right a way! Inside the eggs were coupons to local businesses and cash. There was also candy all over the ground, and he passed by lots to only pick up the ones that he wanted!

He was happy with his loot. We did a few errands in town, came home and packed, and left for Utah after lunch. We arrived in Tremonton around dinner time. My mom made us yummy poppy seed chicken and then we did our annual tradition of dying eggs.

We all made a minion egg--well, Josh didn't, so I did one for him.
This is our family represented by minion eggs!

Jonah's decorated eggs

Micah's colored eggs

Kanyon's Easter eggs

Ammon's colorful eggs

The Easter Bunny brought goodies to the boys last night and left it on Grandma's couch. Kanyon got new golf tees and a Star Wars sleeping bag, Jonah and Micah each got two new athletic shorts, and Ammon got a new clutch for his motorcycle. Plus, they all got some of their favorite chocolates!

This morning (Sunday), we helped Grandma with preparations for lunch. The boys made pickle toothpicks for the appetizer tray, Josh made the ham, and I made avocado deviled eggs.

And the boys did their annual tradition of hiding each other's decorated eggs in the front room for them to find. They stayed busy with that for a couple of hours. I love that they do this self-directed activity all on their own, and enjoy doing it every year!

My parents' church starts at 11, and it was a beautiful day, so we decided to walk. Kanyon took his scooter!

This was the opening song, and this same phrase was spoken during the program several times, so it stuck with me.

After Sacrament Meeting, we came home and Ammon helped Grandpa hide 200 eggs in the backyard while I helped mom with the final preparations for dinner.

The family started coming over for the meal at 1:00. We had ham and potatoes, vegetables, rolls, and salads. It was delicious!

When everyone is together, it feels like the house is small!

After dinner, we read the scripture eggs...

...and then it was time for the Easter Egg Hunt. This year, mom combined the adult and the kid hunt together in the backyard. 

Tawna and Bryce ready to battle to find the gold egg!

Easter Pope Brendan

Sunny ready to find eggs!

at the starting line

the kids got to go first

Searching for eggs while dad gives clues to ones not found yet

Some of them were hidden well! In fact, 4 of them didn't get found!

Group picture afterward

Tallying the egg totals

Mom was the cashier

Next up, the kids got to look for the gold and silver eggs in the front yard.

Jonah and Micah were the winners

Kanyon was bummed he didn't find them. Especially since
he unknowingly walked over the silver egg a couple times
before it got found. 

Mom had the adult silver and gold eggs hidden in a saran wrap roll that had to be unwrapped with gloves only when a person rolled doubles with dice. It was something new, and was exciting, loud, and fast!

Josh still ended up winning the gold egg this year during the game!
He'd earned the 2nd most in the regular egg hunt, too.

Liz got the silver egg. She was also the winner of the
regular egg hunt with the most money earned, too!

After the egg hunts were done, we helped go through boxes in the garage from Grandpa's house that mom and dad had brought back with them from Spokane the previous week. It felt like we were shopping at a yard sale--except everything was free! Everyone got to pick things they wanted, and we came home with more than I'd anticipated, but it was nice for the boys to have the opportunity to see items and pick things they wanted.

Sunny was so in love with this sheep she saw on the table
and got to take home to keep for herself!

And last, but not least, we had the "Chubby Bunny" contest. Ammon was the big winner this year instead of Josh, which surprised me because Ammon had been sick all day, and I couldn't believe he stayed composed enough to get that many marshmallows in his mouth--12 in all! Josh got second with 11 and Bryce got third with 10. I wanted to see if I could do better, and I got 14! But since I was alone, it didn't count in the contest (which is just fine!). You can see me making a fool out of myself in this video clip:
https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.b.perkins/videos/10153348369302821/

Guess what?! I just realized today why the Cadbury creme eggs have that dab of orange in the middle!!! I asked out loud after I'd taken a bite, and my children had the answer: "to represent the yolk". It was quite the aha moment for me! I seriously had never thought of that before!!!

This whole day has been wonderful, and tonight, to top it off, Josh and I checked into the Anniversary Inn in Logan for the night to celebrate our upcoming anniversary while the boys are staying at Grandma and Grandpa's house. What a treat for us!