HELP!!!

Okay, give me good ideas for a 10 year class reunion that even YOU would like to attend. And I'm serious! I want ideas here, people. I'm heading up the committee that's planning my 10 year this summer...

To get you started, here are the demographics:

Small Idaho town, class size about 250, about 60% non-drinking, 40% drinking, many married parents --but lots of singles, too.

Okay, ideas away!!

My busy life will begin again...

This week has been filled with several preparations. Let me elaborate in numerical form (which tends to be the best form of organization my brain will allow):

1. Next week, piano lessons will begin. If all goes well, I may have 16 students --and one voice student...
2. I am still the Primary President (not like I was expecting that to change...)
3. I am heading up the committee for my 10 year class reunion...
4. The day after Labor Day, #1 will begin her quest into the Public Education System. She will start Kindergarten, and thus begins the endless stream of school days...
5. I have decided to start a Preschool for #2 and #3...
   

The preschool comes from need. 2 years ago, I did a "joy" school with some friends; we created our own curriculum, took turns teaching, and planned fun and inexpensive field trips. It was majorly successful, and we loved it. It lasted a good year or so, and so I thought "hey! Let's do it again!". However, when I tried to get something together...well, let's just say it was not as successful. So I planned on putting #2 into a local preschool run at our high school --something simple for 3 year olds. A lot of local mommies put their kiddies into it, and it was very cheap. Well, they raised the age.

Thus began my idea and within 24 hours, I had it all set. Preschool for 2 and 3 year olds for my neighborhood to be taught twice a week, complete with field trip days. I wasn't anticipating the HUGE support and response I recieved --I now have 10 children (not counting my own). But that was solved with mother volunteers. My curriculum is just about done --I'm getting excited! Oh, and I am charging money, of course. But it's a total steal. $20 a month. Serious! Everybody thinks I'm too generous, but I'm not licensed, so I feel bad charging more. Besides, the real motivation is to have a good reason to teach my own children. Yes, them being my children is NOT a good enough reason. Hey! I've got 3 kids, one on the way and I get lazy with strict education, okay?!?! ANYWAYS.... :) :) :)

It's going to be a busy year for me. I'm just grateful that I thrive on stress and pressure. I've said this before (so many times, I'm forgetting when and where) that when I have 12 hours a day to get stuff done --NOTHING gets done. But if I have 2 hours a day to get things done, then EVERYTHING gets done. Don't ask me why or how....it's just one of those mysteries of my life.

Vacations and stuff

Well, vacations are over, all my family is gone, and we are starting to settle down and get ready for the school year.

School year? Some of you ask me this --yes, school year. This year #1 will be attending Kindergarten and we are all very excited. I will be even more excited if #2 gets into the preschool I have wanted for her. Then it will be just #3 and me 3 times a week and we'll have great fun! Running errands! Playing with cars! Running more errands! Playing with trucks! Piano lessons also will begin soon, and I have to say I've had mixed feelings --"No, not that mess again, if they don't practice I don't know what I'll do!" to "I can't wait for piano! Yay! Creative expression and MONEY! Yay!" But all these things will put me on a schedule, and so just call me a kid, I love my schedules. Makes life easier for me. When I have too much time on my hands, I end up doing nothing. So sad, but so true.

Well, I promised a California update with some pictures. Well, pictures will have to wait, since DH has it this weekend while he and the scouts hike Mt. Timpanogos. But here are some details:

SIL got married! It was beautiful. DH and I were in the wedding party and #1 and #2 were flower girls. #3 spent the whole ceremony with Aunt K SCREAMING outside (I'm sorry Aunt K! and Thank you!!!). But it was a fabulous ceremony none-the-less. We then went to MIL's house for a fab reception and the kids wore themselves out perfectly. There was a fiesta that I missed because of the kids, but DH went and said it was cool --great food, but lots and lots of drinking. Not really his thing. :)
After the wedding festivities and then Sunday activities, DH flew home to work while I stayed with my MIL for the week. It was really fun! It was full of horse rides, the beach, the treasure box with "Papa", and shopping. Then that Thursday, we headed for Lake Lopez. I picked up DH at the airport near Lake Lopez so he could spend that weekend with us. For details, please go here. She does a much better job describing it and why we do it. It was a great weekend!

The drive home? Now that was interesting. We left at 1PM Cali time (2PM Provo time) and got home at 3:45AM (Provo time). Yes, it was a LONG drive, but we did it. We only had a few potty breaks and one vomitting child. That was fun. Yes, because she gets car sick, #2 doesn't do well in stop and go heavy traffic in San Bernadino. Yuck.

That is all for now. I must clean my house and take a shower. And print out piano newsletters. And answer emails. And read our mail. And plan Sharing Time for tomorrow. Hmmm....not busy at all....

We think it's a boy...

California was awesome and tons of fun...we'll talk about that later --and I'll provide pictures! :)

But more fun and more important would be that I am still pregnant.

I was very worried and cautious this time (see previous posts on my miscarriage), even though I kept telling myself to have faith and not worry. But today we had an ultrasound (I'll be 13 weeks tomorrow) and there is a beautiful, active and lovely little person inside of me. Healthy, too. And everything seems to be fine.

I cried when I saw the baby. I was so relieved that there was actually a baby inside of me.

Oh, and although it was kind of hard to see, DH, the technician, and I all seemed to agree that this baby will be a boy. Of course, this information is not perfect, so we could be wrong --we'll find out for sure at the next ultrasound at 20 weeks or so...

This experience has taught me so much about myself. I can't even explain it correctly with words, so I'm not going to try right now (falling asleep....drove for hours and hours yesterday....didn't get home until 3:45AM this morning...so much driving....kids woke up anyways...long day....falling asleep...)....