Home Sweet Home

Lots of memories...We'll miss our home.

Joy School Graduation

For over a month Liam kept asking me when he would get his own graduation hat like Daniel's. Who knew the hat is so important. I am so proud of Liam. It was so fun being one of his preschool teachers. He is going to do great in Kindergarten.

What a fun bunch of friends. They are all crazy together. But seriously...

So Liam isn't really the serious type much. But I sure do love his smile, his rootbeer eyes and his contagious laugh.

Reminds me of one of our favorite lines from How to Train Your Dragon..."You're crazy!--I like that."

Liam, I love you so much. I am so lucky to be your mom. You are so sweet to me and your brothers. You are a peacemaker in our home. You are also fun and very silly. I love cooking with you. I love tickeling you. I know that you'll do great in school next year.

Harry Potter

Each night before scriptures and bed we read from books to the kids. We've read a few Rhold Dahl books (The Magic Finger, Esio Trot, The BFG) and also Flat Standley and a Magic Treehouse one. We just recently finished reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. The boys loved it. Nathan likes to quiz them on what he reads to see how well they are listening. If he goes too long without a quiz the boys make him stop and do it so they can get "points". Now we are reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The boys really liked the De-Gnoming the garden that isn't on the movie. When they play I often hear them include Harry Potter. The other day Daniel and Liam set up blocks in rows on two sides of a big rubbermaid lid. They explained to me that they were playing 'Wizards Chess'. Today at the park Caleb and Liam were picking up dirt in their hands, and throwing it down while saying, "Diagon Alley". The dirt was flu powder of course! For a long time now they use all of the sticks as magic wands and cast spells at one another. Caleb likes to speak snake, "Hassssssauathsssssaaaaasssssssssssss". I love Harry Potter and can't wait for the last movie to come out! In the mean time I'll enjoy living it here.

Moving to Utah!

Since we had Daniel seven years ago, we've talked about how nice it would be to one day live close to family. We would love for our boys to be closer to their grandparents and cousins. We would love to enjoy family year-round and go on a vacation somewhere other than Utah...

When Nathan heard there was an opening in the Office of Legislative Research and General Council in SLC, Utah, we knew the chances would be slim, but decided we had nothing to lose. If nothing else, it would be good for Nathan to brush up his resume and practice his interviewing skills. Well 238 people applied for that one job! Yikes. (We told the Lord that if this would be a good move for our family, then our answer would be to get a job offer.) Neither one of us dared seriously consider that Nathan would get the job. I should have known better. He has always been mindful of what he should do next to prepare himself if any opportunities should arise. He is a very hard worker. Nathan you are amazing! And yes, he got the job! I am so proud of him.

I think we're all in shock here. We thought that if the job was offered, we'd have at least a few months to prepare for a move, but they need Nathan to start June 14th! So Utah here we come!

With this move comes a roller coaster of emotions. We are so excited to be with family. We are so sad to leave the great people we've grown to love over the past 9 years in California. There will always be special place in our heart for Sacramento where we've made so many happy memories, bought a home, and even had three kids. We're excited to think of owning a house with a little more elbow room, but so sad to leave my new kitchen. (Actually, when it comes down to it, although it is small, I really love most of the house. We've worked so hard to make it our own. I'm proud of how far it has come--Unfortunately, the current market won't give us anything for our pains, but hopefully we'll be able to rent it out.) We'll really miss living near the ocean and I don't know what kids do for so long during the snowy winter. (Yes, I lived there as a kid, but I really don't remember! I'll also have to relearn how to drive in the white stuff.) I am excited to live in the gorgeous mountains again. They are not only beautiful, but functional as well--I always know which direction I'm going in Utah just by looking at the mountains. That is extremely handy because I've almost no sense of direction.

Many people we know are very opinionated about Utah, both for and against. Personally, having lived there and elsewhere, I feel that there are great people and not-so-great people anywhere you go. There are great experiences and not-so-great experiences anywhere you go. I guess it's not a matter of good or bad, just different. Hopefully, we'll add some good of our own to wherever we end up.

Secret Agent D Turns 007

Daniel 007!

Daniel decided a year ago that he wanted his 7th birthday to be a Spy Birthday Party. We sent out "top secret" invitations that could only be read when held up to a mirror. Since we're just a few days away from our big move (from CA to UT), this birthday party was a big deal for Daniel to have one last get-together with his friends.My friend Laura helped me make a "mission impossible" type video to get the spies ready for advanced spy training and to alert them to a bomb that was hidden somewhere on the premises. It even had the "This video will self destruct in ten seconds..."

All of the agents were given spy gear (including sunglasses, a flashlight, notebook, pen, mirror, spy camera, magnifying glass, decoder, and [squirt] gun) to help them locate clues to lead them to the bomb. First they had to decipher a code to find clue. Next they made their way through a laser filled hallway (red yarn). Some of them even dove over or rolled like "real" spies on the movies.--Very impressive. They had to read a code in a mirror and use their spy flashlights to find a clue in a shed. They worked on the element of disguise and never looked better. A secret formula helped them uncover a message in invisible ink. They even located a hidden message by shooting at paint targets. After piecing together all of the clues they collected and deciphering their code, they found the bomb in the oven! The cake had a 'bomb' with a sparkler in it. It said, "Happy 7th Birthday Daniel. You're the Bomb!" The kids seemed to like the twist. We ended with cake and ice cream. It was fun. Daniel got lots of spy gear as birthday presents and he's been loving all of it.

I know this move is really hard on Daniel. He is really upset about leaving all of his friends. It makes me emotional to think of leaving this home because it's where we've made so many memories, since Daniel was just a month old. He looks so big now.

Eggcellent Easter

Easter weekend we went to Hagan Park for the annual egg hunt. Daniel and Liam have it all figured out.
Caleb, on the other hand, wasn't really interested. Luckily, his brothers got plenty to share.President Diamond was there (from our Stake Presidency) with his police car. The boys also got to kayak in the pool. It was a little scary to Daniel, but we were really proud of him for conquering his fears. Liam was fearless. He got into the kayak and took off around the pool.

Liam didn't want to get out. He'd likely still be there except the line required a few others to take a turn.

The Easter bunny brought lots of fun new swimming toys, new suits, sunblock, boats, chalk, watering cans and of course treats. It was a fun Easter