Fall baseball

Baseball is pretty big here in Arizona. So, when Hayden's friend's mom asked if Hayden would like to play baseball on the same team, Hayden said yes. At first, the practices were twice a week which was difficult to schedule in, but we did. As of now, there is only one more game to play and I think Hayden has enjoyed himself. In the very latest game he got walked twice to first which both resulted in scoring runs, he slid into 3rd base..."safely". AND he got an out at 3rd base. He had a really awesome game and he was awarded a game ball by his coach. The coach chooses someone each game to award the ball to that demonstrated effort and heart in the game.



Hayden is so unethusiastic about all the sports we've encouraged him to try. It's hard to tell whether he will ever be excited about something. Baseball was good though since his friend was there to enjoy it with.

What are we up to?

So, my blog says to come and see what we're up to, but according to the lack of posting recently you would think, "Not much." This would be the opposite. We are exponentially more busy than we were before (if that's possible).

John is taking on more responsibilities with his work because his partner and colleague is possibly retiring at the end of the year, so he is taking over some of her tasks before they all land squarely in his lap when she leaves.

Sidney has joined the competitive synchronized swimming team. She was on the recreation team and it is less time per week. Now she swims twice as much on the competitive team, but she's still enjoying it.

Hayden is now in 3rd grade and it seems that there's quite a difference in the homework area from 2nd to 3rd grade. It used to take him about a half hour, tops, to complete his homework last year. Now it takes hours. And I'm not exaggerating when I say HOURS! Even with me by his side to keep him on task, it can take over 2 hours on some nights. And he's still trying to adjust to that reality...all of us are. In a couple weeks, Hayden will start fall baseball with his best friend, so we'll have to squeeze that in, too. He hasn't tried baseball yet, and we're all hoping he at least enjoys himself.

I am adding some change into the household as well. I have a job. Two actually. I was hired by the kids' school to be on the substitute list and I've already worked once. And I already have positions lined up for future days. I'm excited to be working with kids and getting a chance to see different age groups. My first assignment was with 6th grade and my next will be with 1st. We'll see how much I like it after that.? My second job is independently consulting with parents for the Becoming a Love and Logic Parent course, which is distributed through the Love and Logic Institute. I am ecstatic about it! I am having so much fun. I love helping parents see that there are some practical methods to offer them through this course.

I like that our new phase of life is pushing each of us to learn more and challenge us more and get out of our comfort zone more. So far so good.

School started a while ago...

My kids have been in school for 3 weeks. I have been slacking in the area of blogging. So, here's pictures of my kiddos before they left for school.

End of Summer...

My kids claim that they didn't get to do very much this summer. In some ways I agree with them, but when I made a list, it says otherwise. You decide.

First, here's a few pictures of some of the stuff we did or friends we spent time with.

















Now, lets see, what did we do again?

Slid down inflatable slides
Made a scavenger hunt and went on a scavenger hunt
Made blue cupcakes with green frosting
Sidney got her ears pierced
Went fishing
Made fabric rosettes
Hayden got baptized
Danced with a Native American tribe
Made homemade popsicles
Got rained on
Played at a playground/jump center
Swinged on swings
Hayden cut his head and got staples
Visited Cardinal Stadium for RV show
Went to the UFO museum
Tried to make paper mache pinatas
Rode bikes
Went skating at Skateland
Stood in a White Sand desert
Went swimming
Played at a water park
Sidney chopped her hair off
Toasted marshmallows
Ate fresh veggies and fruits from our garden
Went to a Bead Museum
Went to an underground cavern
Visited an aquarium
Played video games
Made homemade bread
Ate at many great restaurants with friends and family
Shot guns
Built sand castle
Rode a carousel
Made cookies
Saw sunsets
Watched lightning
Visited a temple
And played many card and board games
Sang songs out loud, really loud

Oh yeah, and just had some good plain fun!

A Banner Day...

Saturday was a wonderful day. We all got up bright and early and headed to church for a great event, Hayden's baptism. In our area there are many people who share the same faith(LDS, if you didn't know), so they set aside a day every month for those kids who reach the age of 8 to be baptized. Hayden had to wait over a month to be baptized since his birthday came right after the date during the month of his birthday.



Anyway, he was the very first to be baptized that day. John baptized him.



Hayden got a special present from his former nursery leader. She is now his Pack leader in cub scouts and she gets to see the kids that were in nursery when she was the nursery leader get baptized this year. She decided to embroider a white towel with their name and their baptism date on it in their favorite color. It's turned out beautiful.


Everything happened very quickly. Next, after Hayden and John got dressed, Hayden was confirmed by his Grandpa Muhlestein. That was what Hayden had requested. We had many friends and family show up for the baptism and we're only sad that there were those that wanted to be there but couldn't. We did miss you.



We had a yummy brunch at our house right afterward and most everybody came to that as well.

Hayden got a surprising present during the brunch from our home teacher. A sword. A real sword. A real, heavy sword. The script reads, "The Sword of Laban."



It has a little story that goes with it and has special meaning to it. Come check it out, Hayden would love to show it to you. He hasn't kept his hands off it since it arrived. Thanks to our home teacher, Hayden is grinning from ear to ear.

Only 2 staples...

Saturday. Just a normal day. Hayden's friend had just come over to play. Next thing, shrieking penetrates the quiet. It's coming from Hayden's room. Both John and I are thinking, ok, I guesss we should go see what happened. Not really in any hurry.

We arrive in Hayden's room. He's lying prone on his floor with his left arm holding the side of his head and we hear from his friend that they collided together. Hayden's shrill screaming is much more intense at this close distance. What could possibly be wrong?

"I think I broke my arm!" Hayden cries.

Next, he removes his hand from the side of his head to reveal a bloody palm and a red blur in his hair.

The next few minutes fly very quickly as Hayden seems to have been scooped up and taken to the bathroom without his feet hardly touching the floor. His wound gets cleaned and old towels are stained with what seems to be too much red. It's not real bad, but bad enough.

After a long journey to find an urgent care center that was open, on a Saturday, after 5 pm, we got Hayden fixed up. He received 2 staples in his head. He could have got more but he kept pleading, "Please no more staples, please no more staples..." And they seem to work just fine.

Fortunately, the gash was in his hairline so it won't be very visible, especially when his hair gets long. Like now.

Now, I have to show a couple pictures. They are not too bad, but then I don't get queasy with blood and stuff like that. You have been warned.


First, Hayden is not excited to see what's going to happen.


The gash.


The staples. They will help keep things secure for about 10 days.

At least he waited until he was 8 years old to require equipment or a procedure to keep him together.

His baptism will be memorable as well. How many kids get baptized with staples in their head?

When chipmunks come to your birthday.

Hayden had a birthday this week. Number 8! We had just a small celebration on his birthday. The funny part was what we caught with the flip video. We had received a helium tank with balloons in a silent auction with some other great birthday stuff, so I filled up a few balloons for his arrival home on his birthday.

Later, the kids wanted to try inhaling the helium to see if it made their voices high-pitched. Of course, John was willing to model for them how it's done.

I do not recommend trying this at all. Learn from us. It makes you loopy.

Enjoy, though. Watch out chipmunks, you're jobs are in jeopardy.

Oh, and listen for my mom encouraging them to "suck it in".

Just some fun.

While we were at church yesterday (Stake Conference), each of us had a small notebook to doodle in, take notes, make lists, etc. John decided to ask the kids some questions by having them write their answers down. I figured I could get in on the fun, too. My question was: Name 10 activities that sound fun to do for the summer. Each of the kids wrote their own answers down.

I got some great responses: swimming, camping, mini golf, hiking, road trip, a jumping center. Then, one caught my eye written by Hayden.

It read, "a month of fun."

Nothing big, just a whole month.

Now you try stifling a laugh at church.