Ode to the BYU water bottle

We've had you ever since Paige was a wee one.

You've been with us through thick and thin,

on countless expeditions with the diaper bag,

through three kids and dozens of teeth.

You've calmed many tear-filled eyes, 

and hushed many sacrament meetings.

You were just the right size.

You did just what we asked you to do.

But now you are broken 

and we will never find another as good of you.

Thank you BYU water bottle. 

We will miss you.

Our first Science Fair

Last week Paige entered in her school's science fair.

I showed Paige a website of all different kinds of science experiments she could pick from. She liked the ones about eggs, but she wanted to do them all. They were pretty simple, but suddenly we had to do 4 different things.

Question 1: Can an egg bounce?
Of course you'd say no. But after soaking the egg in a cup of vinegar for a few days, the shell dissolves and sure enough. It makes a rubbery bouncy egg. Pretty cool.

Question 2: Can I make an egg float in water?
If you fill a glass with water and stir in a few spoonfuls of salt it will float because the density of the water changed.

Question 3: Will an egg break if something heavy sits on it?
We placed 4 large yearbooks on top of 4 eggs. The curved shape of the eggshell distributes the weight across the egg so it can support more weight.

Question 4: Can I tell if an egg is raw or cooked?
If you spin the eggs on a flat surface you can tell the difference. A hard-boiled egg spins well, but a raw egg wobbles around because the yoke inside bumps around.




























Paige had a great time explaining the different experiments. The entire fair was pretty low key, but Paige got 2nd place for the kindergartners. It was fun.

Laurel High Adventure

On Jan 8th I was in charge of taking the laurels in the stake on a high adventure. We went cross country skiing and snowshoeing. I wanted to give them the option of activities in case they were scared to try something new. We had about 30 people at the activity (not everyone is pictured). It was pretty difficult to work out all the logistics of it, and I got pretty stressed out a few days before. I was secretly hoping it would just blizzard and we could cancel the whole thing. But...I couldn't be more pleased with how it all turned out! It was really such a great activity. The girls were so happy and willing to try new things, and not whiny at all. We went up to Big Springs Park in Provo Canyon and made our own little xc skiing track around the park to practice for a little while. Then we ventured up the mountain and made it to the meadow. It was a worthwhile challenge and I am just so happy with the results. It was my first time xc skiing too. So I was nervous about helping others learn, but luckily there were some other experienced leaders and everyone had a great time. I'm looking forward to going xc skiing again!

Letters to Grammy

Dear Mom,

There has been so much we are sad you have missed out on in the last three years. We wanted to catch you up on a few things. When I told Paige we were going to write letters to Grammy she thought it was weird because you were in heaven and could see us anyway. But when she prayed that night she asked Heavenly Father to make sure you got the letters.

So, enjoy these letters about your grandkids. ;)

I guess you knew Levi before we ever met him, but its so weird to think that he has never rocked with you in your rocking chair and heard all your great stories.

Levi is definitely stubborn and at the hard one-year-old stage, but when he smiles, it makes it all worth it. He only has a handful of words, but he definitely gets his point across. Levi loves nursery and hasn't given us any trouble about going. We hope it lasts. He is drawn toward balls and loves acting like a dog, or copying the older kids when they decide to pretend to be babies. I am glad that he is a pretty cuddly kid when he wants to be. I love his hugs and just having him rest on my shoulder. I know he would have loved to cuddle into your arms as well.


Dear Grammy
I really miss you so much. I wish you were here. I wanted to tell you about some of my things that I like.My favorite things, like my favorite food is ice cream and watermelon. They are my favorite.

I started school this year!
Mrs. Sarkady is my teacher at school. I like my friends. My friends are Melissa, Udvall, Kenyon, Kara, and Brooke. Those are all my favorite friends.

Miss Neilsen is my teacher in music class. Music class is my favorite and I like singing, and if we do something right then we earn some apples for our good fruit barrel.

Even at home I like doing my things like homework, drawing pictures. I take good care of my little brother Ashby and I take good care of my baby brother Levi.

I know how to read by reading books and I need to read some good ones and a little bit harder ones. I can even read books for a second grader! I can even read the scriptures! And I can read some chapter books!

Thank you Grammy for being my grandma.

I love you. And I know that you had a good time with me when I was three years old before you died.

Love, Paige


Dear Grammy,
I love Grammy and she's the best. And I hope that she will get better. And I love her and she's the best to me.

I got to score two goals in soccer, and I like playing t-ball. And Paige likes playing t-ball too.

My friend is Lex, and Paris and at aerobics my friends are Jacob and Eric and Ry-ry.

I love Levi and Mommy and Daddy and Paige.

I love all kinds of cool toys, like my robot and my Super Why toy. I like pens and I like to write with them and I like to write with pencils. I can't write my name - I can. I can write A-S-H-B-Y. I can write my name.

Levi is the best and he's my best baby in the whole world.
And where we live is in Provo.
Love, Ashby

Missing

I think about my mom every day.
I miss my mom every day.

There are so many questions I have that I wish I could ask her. Especially questions about how to take care of little kids. I also wish I could ask her questions to know more about her. I really don't know anything about my mom, and that makes me sad.

Yesterday was the 3 year anniversary of her death and I missed it. Somehow, I never looked at the date yesterday and I didn't even realize it until about 11pm last night when I read an email from my dad. Maybe its better that I didn't remember, because the last hour of the day was hard enough.

I hate crying. Crying gives me the most horrendous headache. So I try to hold it in, but that gives me an even worse headache.

I still remember the best cry I ever had. It was in the shower the day after Mom died. That was a good, loud, uncontrollable, fall to my knees, sobbing cry. I should probably let myself cry like that again, then maybe my head wouldn't hurt so much.

Dropped

I just dropped the classes I had signed up for this semester.
I am sad about it because I really loved being back in school. But I found out that I have enough credits now to renew my teacher's license and, unfortunately, that fees/books money is really needed elsewhere.

On a happy note - I can almost say I am a teacher. Wish me luck on passing my fingerprinting!

Rumor is I have 4 callings

True. Right now at least.

1. Senior Primary Chorister
2. Stake YW Sports Director
3. Stake RS Board (helping with aerobics)
4. Ward Music Chair - technically released, but asked to "help out" until new person is called.

If any of you want one of these, let me know.