November!

Here it is November already! We avoided trick or treating this year because the night before was the Ward Trunk or Treat and so by Saturday Michael had a stomach ache and Roger had a melt down so we stayed home. The older boys, Garrett and Nicholas went to the neighbors and watched a scary movie and so every one was satisfied.

Friday night we spent an hour putting up the cardboard box "Jungle Tunnel of Doom" for the ward party and which was a great success with the primary children. They just kept going around and around over and over. It wasn't too spooky. Glow in the black light spider webs, stars and bugs. Jungle animals and snakes. Lit the tunnel with those battery operated votive candles. It was fun.

I am surviving my busy schedule by dropping out of stuff. I have quit teaching. I dropped out of the Musica Nova concert this month so I won't have rehearsals all week. That leaves me with Concertmaster for Chandler Symphony this month, learning to be the President of CSO and preparing for Conductor Herriman's 80th birthday party and playing in the Christmas concert and Nutcracker Ballet. And Cub Scout O Rama and Den meetings and Pack.

Carlos is considering going back to work for Maricopa County. His 30 something Nephew just had a heart attack. We know Carlos' turn is a matter of when, not if. It's too likely with the family history. So good insurance and disability are looking good right now. Carlos stays busy with work and High Council duties and his Marine fish tank hobby.

Grant's return home date keeps changing. At the latest it should be Dec. 16.
Garrett is being a typical flaky Senior. Nicholas is coasting through life as a 9th grader. That's it for now.

Great weekend

Had a great weekend with Ashley in town and Mom and Johnna's new baby! Carlos drove the boys to Utah for the Lingard Apple Cider Days so it was a girl's weekend. Loved it. Shopping, visiting, going to the temple, eating out, sleeping in, what could be better? The concerts the two weekends before went well so that was a relief to have done before the visit.

Grant is in Virginia now for the last round of training. He went to church on base today and found out there is a ride to the town ward for next week.
Garrett is doing typical Senior flakey stuff like driving to things with out telling us so we have no idea where he is.
Nicholas has sprouted and is as tall as Garrett.
Michael went to Utah but not to san diego. The weekend before Carlos drove the boys to San Diego to see Grant before he shipped out. They went to Sea World and Michael was so sad he didn't go with them. We did have a nice time together just the two of us and we went to see "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" which was very cute. And got icecream and such.
Roger is loving kindergarten and the joys of being the youngest spoiled child.
Carlos is busy as always with work and High Council responsibilities.

We're having fun gathering the two eggs a day we are getting from the chickens.

At least the floor is mopped.

The thing I feel best about this week is that I got the floor mopped. It really needed it.

Finally got the chamber concert over with. I'm not sure I should do any more of those. I'll have to listen to the recording and see how bad it was.

Dropped my students so I would have time to be on Chandler Symphony Board of Directors. Not sure this was a good/right decision or not. Time will tell. I do enjoy the students.

Grant called home this weekend. He has shot all kinds of military weapons. Sounds like he will fly straight to Virginia in 10 days. Bummer. I'm stuck in town next weekend with another concert but Carlos and the boys are going to drive over to see him before he flys out. He wants his Zune, contacts and glasses.

Garrett told me AFTER his orchestra concert (that I missed because I had rehearsal) that he was the concertmaster and had a solo! That child. I did make it to his choir concert in which he had a little solo. His choir is great! I was really impressed.

Nicholas is still hanging out with the Bass section and Drama guys.
Michael and Roger loved the school carnival which I missed because of the chamber concert.

Do I sound too busy? Did I mention I am concertmaster of Chandler Symphony this concert because our concertmaster is not available? I have been very stressed. And the Symphony President is moving and the Board is looking at me to take her place. And I am Cub Committee Chair and a Den Leader and a mother of 5 and, and, and........maybe dropping the students will help. Or not if we end up needing the money....

Is it time for vacation yet?

Had a wonderful 10 days with Grant and now he's off to combat training.
Garrett is in choir this year and they are going to NYC so he's pumped.
Nicholas is looking ahead to getting his driver's permit next summer.
Michael is full of spirit and fun for just about any thing.
Roger is a spoiled youngest child, whose mommy loves him.
Carlos is busy with work and High Council.
LaDawn is busy with cub scouts(committee chair and den leader), violin students, carpool, CS Symphony board of directors, concertmaster, and chamber series allll at once. Is it time for vacation yet?

Marine Graduation

Was it worth it?

So, Grant's band buddies sent him a Birthday Package. Packages are not good. They attract unwanted attention from drill instructors. Here's what Grant wrote about it:

"Oh! cool story. Matt, Rhino and Frenchi sent me a package. Guess what was inside? A Birthday present. I knew something was wrong when I got a box in the mail. It got worse when I opened the box. A very pink present and letter was sitting inside the box. At that time I was very afraid to open the pink present. I had to open it eventually so I opend the pink present bag and peered inside and what did I see; lots of pink girly items inside the pink girly present. Things like a fairy wand with the pictures of disney princesses, or barbies I can't remember which. Purple slippers, foam flamingo glasses, a princess crown. All of these items had sticky notes attached with descriptions of what they were. The wand was my "weapon of choice," the crown my "helmet," the slippers my "boots." And a few other silly things.

Needless to say the Senior Drill Instructor dumped the present out in a pile and I got to do pushups over it. After awhile (my arms were dying) he grabbed the wand and gave me a pushup boost by pressing the button and waving the wand over me while it made magic noises. I think I did over 100 pushups. The good news is I got to keep everything so you can all see my beautiful presents."

Lucky his birthday was near the end of boot camp and they were more forgiving than it would have been at the beginning.

Happy Birthday Grant!

Grant got to call home on Friday! I wasn't home! Fortunately Carlos was. He is sounding grownup and very hoarse from all the yelling they do all day every day. It was a nice birthday present for him to call home (he is now 19). We had a party at home for him with cake, singing and a present. I took pictures to send to him. We also sent a recordable voice card to him last week that we told him Happy Birthday on. He said it was cool. We were worried he might get in trouble for it but he didn't mention any. We only have a week left to write letters, then he is off to the crucible and won't get mail. Crucible is a three day ordeal of sleep and food deprivation, strenuous physical activity (something like 50 miles hiking with their full packs of 70lbs or so) and "field testing" in all areas of their training.He will have leave to be home for 10 days or more at Labor Day.
His weapons training and job specialty training will be done the middle of December then he is scheduled to begin inactive reserves time for a mission. Lots to take care of .

Garrett has elected to take a typical Senior schedule of fluff and the remaining core requirements. This does not include Calculus. The young don't think ahead.

Nick is happy with his classes. Michael is adjusting to a stricter teacher after last year's coolest teacher ever. Roger likes his half day of kindergarten.

Monday I start carpooling and teaching lessons and soon symphony season will start. As a Board Member for Chandler Symphony I am already swamped in preparations. Church is about the same craziness as I am a den leader and committee chair. I've been planning like crazy to get the next six months of Pack meetings squared away so I won't have to stress as much once the Symphony Season starts.

Carlos can't really talk about what he has been working on this past week but it has been stressfull and interesting. And so it goes.

Have a good week.