March '19- Week 3- More Peter Pan, Alice's 1 Year Check-up, Zoo/Ugurt, Park Day, Anna's BD Date,

Friday I met with Amy Hamblin to plan Primary Music stuff.  I took my car to Burt Brothers for an emissions test. After school, I had EVERYone take a nap!  We had so many recent late nights with the play that we all needed a little extra rest knowing we had two more late nights ahead of us.  Brooklyn Ulmer babysat Alice and we all attended the show! Dave and Laurie's family, Abril and Lola and Eli, Mickelle, Jonathan, and Ms. Walters all came to watch also.  McKenna said she was most excited to perform for her teachers. :)  

Later, Dan went to a late night showing of Captain Marvel with Jonathan. 

Saturday I went to an awesome Stake Women's meeting with Jenny Oaks Baker and Family Four!  They played beautiful songs and bore strong testimonies.  I took a slow-mo video of Ben dropping some helicopter leaves. 

After lunch, Mickelle babysat while Dan and I went to McKenna's matinee show.  

McKenna stayed at the school for dinner with the cast while we went to In N Out with the other kids, did baths, then came back to the school for one LAST performance!  Once Dan was done flying McKenna, he took the other kids home to put them to bed.  I stayed to watch with Mickelle and also stayed after to help strike the set.  

The Darling Family! 

We gave McKenna a "Never Grow Up" necklace.  And I took a couple pictures of her on her bed and in the Lost Boys hide out.  

They had a semi-professional photographer come take pictures during one of the dress rehearsals.

This video was from one of the dress rehearsal's for "I'm Flying!"

And here is a snippet of McKenna singing her main solo in the show "Distant Melody." 

McKenna playing the part of Wendy Darling was certainly a growing experience for ALL of our family!  We all had to commit to support her and she had to learn/practice how to handle some pretty major stress and fatigue!  Overall McKenna loved it and had so much fun with the directors and her friends! 

Sunday was my first time leading the music in Senior Primary and it was fun!  I love being able to watch Sis. Hamblin lead the Jr. Primary first, then I can basically do what she does.  :)  Dan's parents came over for dinner that night and playing games afterwards.  

Monday the kids did not have school due to a snow make-up day they didn't need to use.  I got a picture of Alice nursing while up on her knees.  Silly wiggly baby! I did a lot of cleaning and laundry and listening to my book club book.  Ben went to Taggart's to play.  

We packed a lunch and ate with Dan at his office.  After that, we went to Alice's 1 year check-up! 

Alice Katherine 1 Year Stats!

Height: 28.1in (1.6in increase in three months) 12th%

Weight: 18lbs 15oz (3lbs 2oz increase in three months) 30th%

Head: 75th%

After that, we went to the Zoo with Grandma, Grandpa, Abril and kids, Winegars, and Katie and Clara!  We had beautiful weather and saw lots of animals. 

Afterwards we met some of the husbands at Ugurt for pizza and dessert!  

That night Dan and I did a little planning for our Spring Break.  

Tuesday I exercised, went to Jan Evan's class and took my turn in the nursery again.  McKenna went to a BD party for Olivia Stock at Boondocks.  Bethany still had preschool.  Then Ben, Anna, Alice and I got "special juice and bread" for lunch and headed to 5 Points Park to enjoy some more beautiful weather!  Alice LOVED the swing!  Ben also made wood chip art. :) 

In the afternoon, I planned some stuff about George Washington for a Kindergarten activity I was going to help with.  

Wednesday I had a BAD headache to start the day.  Melissa Roth and I went ministering to Janel Barnes, then Alice and Bethany went to Grandma's house while I went to Anna's class to help with their Mount Rushmore Activity.  I made a George Washington Bingo game.  That afternoon, while Anna was at Let's Play Music, Brittana came over to play and I helped clean up the back yard a bit and the girls set up McKenna's fairy garden. They also spent some time in Jerry's tree house, then up to the Remington's circle to buy taffy and juice.  

Thursday I exercised and Annie Wirthlin came over to play.  I also practiced singing at Rachael's.  Alice followed in the footsteps of her older siblings and began her job of emptying the kids dish drawer. :)  After school Ben FaceTime interviewed Grandma Sibber about what it means to be a hero.  It was a sweet conversation to witness as he asked her why she was so nice and kind to her grandchildren.  She got emotional a couple times and I hope she felt special knowing she is one of my kids' heroes!  Speaking of... :) Anna went on her BD date that night with Grandma and Grandpa and had a blast!  Dinner, dress shopping, and donuts! 

Alice has some new pretty sweet dance moves too!

March '19- Week 2- McK's BD Date, Peter Pan Dress Rehearsal, March Webster BDs, More Peter Pan

Friday I went to ladies lunch during which it snowed again.  

After school, McKenna was helping Alice play the piano.

McKenna was able to go on her BD date with Whitney, Katie, Grandma and Grandpa.  They went to dinner at The Garden at Temple Square, then out for ice cream.  The snow did not stop them from walking around and enjoying the beautiful temple grounds.  

Dan and I went out for tacos with Dan's new counselors and their wives, the Remingtons and Kossins.  We had great conversations and enjoyed getting to know them better!

Saturday was a regular morning, then we packed a lunch and headed to the school to help McKenna learn to "fly" for Peter Pan with full harnesses and ropes!  Dan was definitely more able to do it than I was.  She was loving it! 

 We used some spiral leave-in curlers for the first time and they worked so great!  

We picked up groceries afterwards, Ben got a hair cut, and we went to the YW fundraiser dinner (Hawaiian Haystacks).  

Sunday I received a new calling as the Senior Primary Chorister!  I was really feeling like I needed a little something more to do at church and I always thought I'd have this calling someday.  :) 

That evening we celebrated March BDs at mom and dad's house. 

Grandma also had shamrock sugar cookies for the kids to decorate.  

Monday I did laundry, made rice krispie treats, and played with Bethany (even painting her nails).  

After school I put McKenna's hair in curlers, individually wrapped the rice krispie treats, and we got a bid for new siding on our house.    

 Love this chubby Alice picture!  Monday was also opening night for Peter Pan!! Hannah and Abby Kossin babysat so all of us could go except Alice.  The Alexanders, Winegars, Smiths (carpool friends), and Jensens all came to support!  

Tuesday I attended Jan Evan's class.  We got another siding bid.  Putting curlers in McKenna's hair became our new after school routine during the week of this play. :)  Dan took McKenna early every night so they could run the flying scene and make sure everything was safe! After the flying scene, Dan took the kids home to bed and I stayed to watch. No family came this night, only friends. :) 

In the middle of the night, Anna threw up. :(  Besides feeling bad for Anna, I was SO nervous McKenna would catch this and not be able to perform for one of the shows.  Thankfully, no one else caught it!  

Wednesday the little girls and I watched the NBC Peter Pan Live on YouTube and stayed in our PJs most of the day.  Anna drew this Monster's Inc drawing and I was pretty impressed!  I had to take a picture of how much Bethany loves Barbies too! 

I felt pretty "zombie-like" all day.  Thankfully McKenna did NOT have a show this night and we were able to finish "Ralph Breaks the Internet" movie we started a few days ago.  

Thursday I went to Rachael's to practice singing a song for Sacrament Meeting.  Dan came home in the middle of the day.  Brooklyn Ulmer babysat that night while I helped back stage. 

Grandpa and Grandpa came, as well as Whitney and Ellie, Camille, the Hamblins, Lewises, Moultons, Lara and Sam, and the Stewarts.  

March '19- Week 1- Eli's Baptism, Alice's 1st BD!, McKenna Assembly Performace, Jojo's Play,

Friday we attended a 5th grade orientation for McKenna at the Legacy North Campus.  I made zucchini bread, McKenna got a hair trim, Ben and Anna played at the Alexander's, then McKady Kump came to babysit while Dan and I went on a double date with John and Rachael Alexander to dinner and dessert.  I'm so thankful to have the Alexanders as such good friends.  

Alice loves this ball popper toy and would squeal every time a ball popped up! 

Saturday we attended Eli's Baptism!  So happy for him! Afterwards, Dan took Ben to a work event with him and then to the Lego Store to make good on a birthday coupon gift.  McKenna had a tech rehearsal for Peter Pan.  I ran errands with the three little girls to Old Navy and Wal-Mart. I enjoyed a quiet afternoon at home with the girls and let them play in a bubble bath and even tried some spiral curlers in Anna's hair.  It snowed that evening, I made cupcakes for Alice's BD the next day, and we watched "Ralph Breaks the Internet" as a family. 

Sunday my baby Alice turned 1!!  We were on time for church and heard the testimonies of the old and new bishopric counselors.  Our Come Follow Me lesson was about miracles.  After dinner, we had a cupcake smash for Alice!  Mickelle, Jonathan, Adam, the Stewarts, Grandma and Grandpa, and Jake and Abril all came!  Alice loved the cupcake so much, we let her have two! 

Collage of her "month" pictures. 

 Happy, messy, baby! 

Cake Smash video

 Aunt Pickle got her a babydoll and Grandma brought her a book. :) 

Monday I edited lots of pictures and McKenna worked on a little heart presentation she did for her class about Grandfather.  

For a while, Alice always made this funny sound whenever she saw someone's belly button.

Ben got some awesome laughs out of Alice as we were finishing folding laundry that night.  

Tuesday I exercised and did not go to Jan Evans' class because Bethany had a slight fever and was coughing a lot.  

I shot this lovely video of Alice squealing/screaming at me because she wanted more attention. 

I got a cute picture of Ben, Bethany, and Alice playing together, all in red shirts.  

That evening, McKenna babysat while Dan and I went to YW New Beginnings.  They played fun games and had yummy candy.  Unfortunately, because McKenna came home stressed from rehearsal, I needed to run home and help get kids in bed, and therefore missed the song I had been rehearsing with the YW.  Oh well.  

Dan had lunch with most of his brothers.Wednesday McKenna went in full hair and make-up for an assembly performance of Peter Pan.  It was fun to see a sneak peak!  Bethany and Alice came with me and Bethany was quite surprised, or maybe finally put it together that McKenna was playing the part of Wendy. :)  Anna had a play date at Emi's house.  

After school McKenna and Lyla worked together on a scene, and after dinner McKenna and I (and Bridget Moulton) went to see Jojo Lewis in her school play at Valley View.  

Thursday I exercised and Dan went to the temple.  Annie Wirthlin came over to play.  

Alice loves to play the piano and sometimes Ben and McKenna set up their coats like a person is inside there. :) 

After school, Brynn watched my kids while I helped back stage at a Peter Pan dress rehearsal.

Feb. '19- Week 4- Huntington Beach, Ruby's, Seascape Fun Center, Lego Movie 2, Alice Parade/First Word, Blue and Gold Banquet Pack Meeting Carnival

Friday we had a very slow morning and Dan had a long phone call.  We headed to Huntington Beach to play in the sand for a bit.  It was still quite chilly when the wind blew.  Then we ate lunch in the Tiki Room at Ruby's on the Pier and it was our most expensive meal yet!  :)

Everyone took naps in the car and we drove to the Seascape Fun Center which is like a Kangaroo Zoo. 

After that we went and saw the Lego Movie 2.  We got back to the AirBnb and packed up as much as we could and went to bed.  

Saturday we got dressed, loaded up, and were on the road to home by 6:15am!  

The kids watched "Ariel" and we stopped in Vegas at 9ish to nurse and go potty.  The kids watched "Alice in Wonderland" and we ate lunch in St. George at Cafe Rio.  Dan finished the book "Educated" so we discussed that for a while.  I took some Dramamine for the drive home to make sure I didn't get car sick again, but it made me super sleepy, so I napped a lot! Sorry Dan!

We filled up and I nursed in Nephi.  The kids watched "Sword and the Stone."  We picked up pizza for dinner and were home by 7pm! We made much better time on the way home.  No traffic to speak of.  Everyone had baths and we unpacked and did laundry and went to bed!  Unfortunately Alice still had a fever that night and had a little bit of a hard time. :( 

Sunday before church, the kids had an Alice parade. :) 

Sunday Dan received new counselors in the bishopric, Dirk Kossin and Greg Remington.  I sat in with the Laurels and helped answer questions about marriage.  We practiced the YW song as well.  Our Come Follow Me lesson was more about the Sermon on the Mount.  We had dinner at home and I worked on a grocery order after my family conference call.  

Monday I had a good discussion with my Double or Nothin' roommates on Marco Polo about where we get our self worth and how do we instill it in our kids.  I said I get a lot of my self worth from Dan and of course from Heavenly Father.  I had groceries delivered in the morning and did lots of laundry.  That night we went to the Nelson Family Party at Dan's parents' house.  I took these cute pictures of Alice for the Nelson News since her 1st birthday is in March!

Tuesday I went to Jan Evans' class and drove carpool.  After McKenna's rehearsal, she had a play date with Lia and Lyla.  After dinner I briefly went to YW to help them practice their song again.  Dan went to mutual and other church meetings and got home very late!

Wednesday Dan gave himself a haircut in the morning.  I visited a new ministering sister, Janel Barnes, and we talked a lot about Disney.  Henry and Brittana Alexander came over to play in the afternoon.  I had book club that night to talk about "Educated."  

Thursday Desi and Will came over to play in the morning then I exercised.  After school Taggart came to play.  

Update on Dan's burned fingers and a cute Alice face!

Alice said her first word, "Uh-Oh!"

That night was the Blue and Gold Cub Scout Banquet, which was a carnival!  

They made it so fun for the kids with face painting, a photo booth, ring toss, dart throw at balloons, wet sponge toss, and to ear more tickets, kids could get up on stage and perform somehow.  Ben got up and told a few jokes and everyone loved it! 

What do you call a freight train loaded with Bubble gum? A chew chew train!

Knock knock. Who's there? Cows go. Cows go who? Cows don't go who, they go Moo!

Why did Darth Vader go to the bakery? To get a Coo-keeee.